The Knight & The Wizard
by Phonius Pwnage the 3rd
Summary: The fall of Beacon affected everyone differently. And for a boy like Jaune, it was only the beginning of his new life. Now merged with the soul of an ancient wizard, destined to face an evil no mortal man has ever faced before, and forever changed by the memories of men long since past, he will soon discover that even the greatest of men can fall from grace.
1. To Love and Loss

**Greetings everyone, and here is the first chapter of The Knight & The Wizard. Now let me say it first, that I do enjoy Oscar's character but for some strange reason I always imagined what the relationship would be like if our resident blonde knight and the wizard of Beacon became one person and this story was the result. It will be taking place after the fall of Beacon, so sorry to those fans of "Arkos". But other than that nothing new to add, so...onward!**

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Chapter One

It's been several weeks since the Fall of Beacon Academy and the Kingdom of Vale was plunged into chaos. Though the Grimm Dragon stood frozen atop Beacon's tower thanks to Ruby, the city itself was left in ruins and with it...the death of Pyrrha Nikos, my partner...my friend...my...my first love. All due to the actions of Cinder Fall and her allies, most of whom were alleged transfer students at Haven Academy in Mistral. And now Ruby Rose, Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren, and I were traversing our way through the continent of Anima on our way to find the answers we seek.

But for now we were setting up our camp for the night, Ren was put in charge of food, which was obvious, while Nora, Ruby, and I made a perimeter sweep to check for any signs of Grimm. Ruby mentioned killing a lone Beowolf but to be honest I was only paying half attention to her. I knew she and the others could tell I wasn't acting like myself but after witnessing the destruction of what I considered to be my home and losing someone I loved, I'd be surprised if I acted the same at all. But I couldn't let them know...I had to be strong for them...I had to be the team's strategist. And so, I put on a facade, a mask of optimism and foolishness, in order to hide my misery.

The misery would come out during training after everyone was asleep. I knew they would try to stop me if any of them found out I was staying late and driving myself to exhaustion during training, especially if they found out who was training me.

"Alright, Jaune, just like we practiced. Follow these instructions." said Pyrrha's voice, her beautiful, smiling, face shining through the pixelated screen of my personalized scroll.

I was thankful that Pyrrha went and pre-recorded some training videos for me. She would always that if there were ever a time she wasn't around during our usual training sessions then I could use the training videos in her place. They were often used whenever she'd be busy with a girl's night with Nora and Team RWBY or whenever she was called into Vale for an event or other celebrity thing...But now, all these videos were instead a constant reminder of what I lost.

It took me a minute to realize that I spaced out as the video, which I had placed on a loop, was repeating itself.

I needed to focus and so when Pyrrha said "Shield up." I lifted my left forearm, making sure it cover my upper body and lower face, leaving my eyes open. When she said "Keep your grip tight." I gripped my sword's handle as tight as I could, making sure to leave a little room for ease of maneuverability. And after so many times of repeating the same stance during our usual training sessions, I needn't worry when Pyrrha said "Don't forget to keep your front foot forward."

Silence came next just like always but I kept myself prepared, waiting for Pyrrha's signal.

"Ready? Go." she commanded and I followed suit, stepping forward and swinging my sword in an arc, the force of the slash creating a gust of wind and pushing the grass around me.

But it wasn't over...it never is.

"Again!" commanded Pyrrha.

I moved forward again, gripping my handle and swinging Crocea Mors in another wide arc. More wind pushing the tall green grass around myself.

"And again." she commanded, again.

So I used the leg and hip muscles to spin myself around, making sure to use all my might in this final arc. The force spreading the grass around as even more gust pushed at them. Though the final slash took all out of me, leaving me panting for air.

And what came next was both comforting...and saddening as Pyrrha smiled and let out a slight giggle, something that I never noticed but always found myself enjoying and wishing to hear her laugh and giggle all day long.

"Okay. Now assuming you aren't cheating, we can take a break." said Pyrrha.

And so I stood, letting my head fall and closing my eyes, just to listen to her voice.

"I know this can be frustrating..." Pyrrha started, 'causing me to open my eyes and watch her image. Her vibrante green eyes so full of life and happiness and her smile was enough to brighten an entire room, nay, an entire world. "...and it can feel like so much effort to progress such a small amount, but I want you to know that I'm proud of you..." _"You shouldn't be proud of me...I failed you."_ "I've never met someone so determined to better themselves." _"I'm not determined...I'm a coward...A fake."_ "You've grown so much since we started training." _"All because of you...I can't do this without you."_ "And I know this is just the beginning...Jaune, I-I..." _"Please...don't say it...Please...say you hate me...say I'm a failure...say anything else..."_ "I want you to know that I'm so happy to be a part of your life. I'll always be here for you, Jaune." finished Pyrrha, the video looping back to the beginning as my knees began to feel weak under the weight of myself and my guilt.

My body crumpled to the ground, my knees catching myself so that I didn't fall farther as my shield and sword fell to the ground and meeting them were a few stray tears that managed to escape my tear ducts.

"Why...why did you do this to me? How could you just leave me to fight her? She killed Ozpin, so what made you thing you could do a god damn thing?!" I finally shouted into the starry sky, my fists tightening.

But I knew my questions would never be answered...Pyrrha was gone and there was nothing I could do...except fall back into the grass and look up into the starry night sky. Pyrrha always said she wanted to go camping one day and see a shooting star so when one such star streaking across the sky, a saddening smile spread on my lips as I thought about what could've been.

I had planned on telling Pyrrha about my feelings for her after the Vytal Festival...I had it all planned out, I was going to take her on a picnic to the park and take a walk by a nearby lake where I would ask her to go out with me...call it over the top or call it old fashioned but I knew it would be amazing...But now all it will ever be is a pipe dream...another reminder.

Seeing nothing more in the night sky, I lifted myself up and picked up my weapon and shield, sheathing one and collapsing the other before hooking it onto my belt and walking over to the scroll which was paused on Pyrrha's smiling face.

"Why did you leave me, Pyrrha?" I asked once again and once more I recieved no answer in return.

So why was it that a minute later a voice answered back?

"Ms. Nikos did, what she did, to protect you, Mr. Arc." said a disembodied voice, shocking and confusing me enough to drop my scroll and unleash my weapons, keeping my shield trained on my upper body and gripping my sword in my hand, making sure to get back into my fighting stance as I surveyed my surroundings. And call me crazy but I could've sworn that that voice sounded like Professor Ozpin.

"Mr. Arc, I need you to remain calm." said the supposed Prof. Ozpin voice.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" I shouted, twisting and watching the shadows of the forest for any sign of an enemy but seeing nothing.

"Mr. Arc, you must calm yourself and I promise to explain this...strange situation. Please, Mr. Arc." pleaded Prof. Ozpin's voice.

For some unknown reason I didn't feel as if the voice was lying or that there was an unknown figure waiting for me to let down my guard, so I complied and lowered my weapons a bit, just enough to show that I was still prepared to defend myself.

"Thank you. Now I know that this is not the most ideal moment to be revealing myself but I thought it best do so before anything...dire began to happen." said the voice, sounding more and more like Professor Ozpin.

"Who are you? What's going on?" I asked aloud.

"As for who I am, I believe you already know that answer. And as for what is going on, well to put it simply, Mr. Arc, our souls have merged to become one." said the voice.

"Professor Ozpin? B-But how? I thought you died...I...we saw Cinder fly up the tower. What's the hell is happening?" I asked again.

"Believe me, Mr. Arc, it was strange my first time as well but the important thing to do now is to remain calm and listen. I will explain everything. Yes, it is true that I was sadly killed by Ms. Fall. The power of a maiden is not one to trifled with and I paid the price. And what is happening is...unimaginable, to say the least, but like I said before our souls have merged together." said Prof. Ozpin.

"Souls? Merged? Who...What are you?" I asked.

"I am a man punished by the gods for failing to fix a mistake I made. I once told Ms. Rose that I had made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on this planet, and unfortunately, I wasn't exaggerating. I'm...cursed and for thousands of years, I've walked the surface of Remnant, living, dying, and reincarnating in the body of a like-minded individual. The Professor Ozpin you and the other students met was not my first form, and clearly wasn't my last, given our current situation. It's...an extraordinarily strenuous process on everyone involved." said Prof. Ozpin.

"I am the combination of countless men who've spent their lives to protect the people of Remnant. With every rebirth, my soul is eventually merged with another and I am changed, but my memories stay with me, a fact that you shall experience soon enough. This curse was bestowed upon me by the gods because I failed to stop her in the past. Which is why we need to stop her now." said Prof. Ozpin.

"Her? Who's her?" I asked.

"Salem. A being with untold power and control over the creatures of Grimm. She seeks to end the era of man and send all of Remnant back into the darkness. And I need your help Mr. Arc." pleaded Prof. Ozpin.

"My help? What makes you think I can do this? I'm liar...I faked my way into Beacon with forgery...I didn't even have my own damn Aura unlocked on the day of initiation." I said.

"I am well aware of this fact, Mr. Arc." said Prof. Ozpin.

"What?! How?!" I asked aloud and I swear I could see the smirk on his face as Prof. Ozpin chuckled at me.

"Why, Mr. Arc, did you honestly believe that a prestigious school designed to train warriors wouldn't be able to see through such a poor attempt at forgery?" asked Prof. Ozpin.

 _"Whether dead or alive, this guy still pissed me off to know end."_ I thought to myself, grumbling.

"A side effect of our souls merging is that your thoughts are my thought, Mr. Arc." said Prof. Ozpin, smirking once again.

 _"Great."_ I thought, once again.

"So, what now? What do we do? Do I tell the others?" I asked.

"No, for now remain quiet on our...situation until we reach Haven Academy. There we will relay our problem with the others as soon as my associate arrives." said Prof. Ozpin.

It was strange to say but I understood where Prof. Ozpin was coming from. Was this what he meant by "like-minded individuals"? Either way it was safe to call it a night and get back to camp before anyone noticed.

After grabbing my scroll, the screen still on Pyrrha's smiling face, a soft smile spread on my lips before sliding it into my pant's pocket and walking back to camp.

A part of me knew that this was only the beginning of what would eventually be the strangest month of my life.

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 **And so ends the first chapter of my new story. What did you guys think of it? Was there any part of it you enjoyed the most or do you want to tell me some of your own ideas of where this story might lead to? Either way, make sure to leave a review, favorite and follow and I'll keep on writing.**

 **Till next time!**


	2. Oniyuri

**Greetings everyone and welcome to the second chapter of the knight & the wizard! I hope you're all excited for this one! Check down below for the new schedule update.**

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Chapter Two

It's been three days since we left the inn in Higanbana and now we were on our way to yet another village in hopes of finding a way to Haven Academy. And surprise, surprise, Team RNJR had gotten a new ride along. But not just any ride along; no, no, this ride along came in the form of a deceased wizard, who for some damn reason can't stop talking in cryptic fashion!

"Mr. Arc is there a problem?" asked Prof. Ozpin, the so-called "wizard" inside my head.

"No, Professor Ozpin, there's no problem." I told him in my head.

"Very well. Now, where was I? Ah, yes, it was october and I was recently visiting an old ally of mine..." said Prof. Ozpin, droning on and on with his past lives' adventures.

My Oum, he's worse than Professor Port. If I had known that being the host of an ancient being with magically powers would drive me insane, I would've thrown myself off the nearest cliff.

And if that wasn't bad enough, I was now being forced by said "wizard" to practice various fighting styles on top of my regular training schedule; which I might add is already exhausting enough!

At least I have the others to save myself some sanity.

Looking back on it all, I couldn't believe I was walking through Anima. The only time I'd ever been in Anima was when my family and I were on vacation.

Those were good times.

But now it just seemed so long ago.

Seeing nothing else to do, I unfolded the map from my back pocket and started to read through it, when Nora stretched her arms above her head, a hyperactive smile on her face.

"Another day, another adventure!" she exclaimed.

I could always count on Nora to make me smile and at times she'd often remind me of my sisters, always so happy and hyperactive that it took several layers of food to calm her down.

"So, what's on the agenda today?" asked Ruby, smiling at me with her shining silver eyes.

"Besides having to deal with a disembodied voice constantly talking?" I asked myself before choosing to answer her, "Walking."

"I get the distinct impression, you're annoyed with me." said Prof. Ozpin.

"No, no, I enjoy your excruciatingly long stories, Professor Ozpin." I thought-talked.

"Hmm, very well, seeing how you enjoy my stories so much then let's continue." said Prof. Ozpin and I swear I could hear the trolling smirk he wore like a freakin' badge of honor!

It wasn't until I heard a sigh beside me that I turned to look at Ruby, who was looking a little down.

"Haven is a lot farther away than I thought." said Ruby, causing Ren to turn to look at her.

"Ruby? How long did you think this journey was going to take?" he asked, Ruby's cheeks puffing out from embarrassment.

"I don't know! I grew up in a small area; I've never been this far away from home!" shouted the little reaper, her cheeks reddening.

"Right, but...how long?" I asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"Maybe, like, uh...two weeks?" she answered though phrasing it like a question.

Two weeks?

Two? Weeks?

TWO FUCKING WEEKS?!

"What?!" I shouted, glaring at her, causing her to turn away to avoid my glare.

"Okay, fine! Three or something! Look, whatever...Hey, what's that?" asked Ruby looking up ahead when Nora decided to jump onto a fallen post of a fence to see ahead.

They were buildings and walls.

A village? But that's impossible, we shouldn't be seeing another village in at most a few days.

"That's...strange. I didn't think we'd be hitting another village for a few days." I said, relaying my thoughts with the others.

"Are those buildings...damaged?" asked Nora.

Damaged buildings...Grimm...Survivors.

"We should search for survivors!" I commanded, dropping the maps and running full-tilt sprint into the village, the others following close by as we searched through the village.

There had to be someone...anyone.

"Mr. Arc, please, remain calm." said Prof. Ozpin.

"I can't Ozpin, what if there's a survivor? I have to find them." I said back.

"And if there are, there's no doubt in my mind that you will find them but you must be levelheaded." said Prof. Ozpin, his words calming me down a bit as I continued to search through the rubble.

"Anything?" asked Ruby.

"Nothing over here!" shouted back Nora.

"No on over here, either!" I shouted out, not sure if I should feel relieved or distraught.

"It's almost like...the town was abandoned." said Ren.

Well...abandoned doesn't exactly mean "killed" so at least that could give me some shred of hope.

"Hey, I think I found something!" shouted Nora, getting our attention as we ran over to where she was, standing in front of the town sign, which was being consumed by moss and ivy, when Nora moved the ivy to side.

"Oniyuri? Never heard of it." said Nora.

"Me neither." I said, even going through my memories of visiting Anima with my family just to make sure. "Ozpin? Do you know what Oniyuri is...or was?"" I asked.

"Afraid not, Mr. Arc. Much of my focus was spent on Vale and Beacon. The happenings in other kingdoms was not a priority." said Prof. Ozpin.

"I have." said Ren, his words causing us all to look at him. "You might think of it as Anima's Mountain Glenn, had it never been completed. Years ago, the richest members of Mistral were unhappy with how the kingdowm was being run. Frustrated with the council, they pooled their resources together to build their own city, with their own laws. They hoped that one day, it could maybe even become it's own kingdom. Many thought it would be the future...I know my parents did." he finished, walking away from us, kneeling down to wipe some dirt of a stone wall.

"What happened?" asked Ruby and as she asked that the dirt on the wall finally came free to reveal claw marks.

"What always happens." said Ren.

And then it became so clear...the destroyed village...the lack of survivors...the claw marks.

"The Grimm." I said aloud.

"Not just any, one." said Ren, tightening his fists.

Both Ruby and I turned to look at Nora in confusion but her concerned gaze never turned away from where Ren was when Ruby turned back to look at Ren.

"One?" she asked when several small black birds began to fly overhead.

It was time to leave.

"Come on. Let's just get through here. This place gives me the creeps." I said, grabbing my pack and walking through the village towards the exit, followed by Nora, then Ren, and finally, Ruby.

But halfway through was when I felt a pain in my head.

"Ozpin! What's going on?" I asked.

"Mr. Arc, prepare yourself for battle!" he commanded as I unsheathed my sword and shield, getting back into my stance just as a strange man in an overcoat leaped over a wall, releasing his weapons and charging towards Ruby, laughing the whole way through.

Luckily, she was able to hold him off in time for Ren to intervene with his dual pistols clashing with the man's claw blades before attempting to both kick and shoot only for the man to dodge at the last second.

The two of them went on to exchange several more attacks and parries until the man decided to kick Ren several feet away.

The strange man then turned to go after Ruby again, who rushed at her attacker with her scythe. The man used his blades to block her own attack before kicking her backwards. Only for Ruby to remain upright as they clashed again. Unfortunately, one of the attacks managed to land on Ruby's right arm, causing her to cry out in pain and him to laugh. But the little red reaper doesn't break her stride however and leaps back to take another swing at him.

The man dodges and using his newfound momentum was able to land a moving blow against Ruby, his attack causing her Aura to shimmer.

Reacting quickly, I stepped in just as the man climbed onto my shield and gin at me, creeping me out but giving Nora an opening to swing her hammer. Only for the man to leap off my shield to Nora's hammer and through the top story of a nearby building, not falling due to his leg strength.

Whoever or whatever this guy was, there was no way we were making out this without a scratch.

"We're not looking for a fight!" I shouted.

"Who are you?" asked Ren.

In response, the man began to lean forward and dropped from the tower, showing off his agility before landing on his feet.

"Who I am matters not to you. Or you. Or..Well, you do interest me." said the man, pointing at Ren, then Nora, and then me and honestly I was getting all sorts of "stranger danger" from this guy.

"No, I only matter to you." said the man, finally pointing to Ruby and causing her tilt her head in confusion.

"Me?" she asked aloud and causing the man break down in laughter.

"You, you haven't the slightest clue, do you? Oh, how exciting this must be." said the man.

"What do you want?" asked Ruby, her grip tightening on Crescent Rose.

"Oh, the rose has thorns! My little flower, I'm here to whisk you away with me!" shouted the man, acting overly dramatic.

"Well, what if she doesn't want to go with you?" asked Nora, already knowing the answer.

"Well, I'll take her." the man spoke.

"Mr. Arc, you must keep this man away from Ms. Rose." commanded Ozpin.

"What? Why? Who is this guy, Ozpin? What the hell is going on?" I demanded answers.

"I will explain at a better time but for now, you must protect Ms. Rose." he commanded again.

"Like you even need to ask." I said, hefting my shield and standing in between them. "We're not going to let you do that."

The man then closed his eyes, inhaling through his teeth, holding it for a moment before exhaling with his eyes slowly opening and growling, happily, a single word with a dark, murderous, grin.

"Good." said the man, suddenly disappearing from view and reappearing behind me.

If not thanks to Ozpin's new training, I would've been beheaded in one strike but luckily was able raise my shield in time for Ren to ricochet one of his shots off of my shield and into the man.

But the man was somehow able to cover his eyes at the last moment and was instead able to cartwheel onto my shield and began to use his claw blades to spin in the air against it. When Ruby stepped in to face the man only to get kicked to the side.

Using this moment, I swiftly swing my sword at the guy but hit nothing as the man had already dodged away before I felt a sharp pain in my side and sending me sprawling to the ground and leaving Nora and Ruby left standing.

The man then began to run towards Nora but thanks to Ruby's maverick-nature the red-hooded girl reloaded her weapon with some Dust and shoots it at the man, who easily senses it and dodged it, allowing the bullet to hit Nora, dropping her hammer in the process.

The idea worked perfectly as the man mistook it for an error on Ruby's part.

"Well, if that isn't ironic." said the man, looking smug.

Quickly the smug look was wiped off his face as Nora appeared behind him, raising her hammer over his right shoulder and bringing it down to meet him. The blast from it causing the rest of us to cover our eyes for protection.

But our moment of victory was short-lived as the dust cleared to reveal the man in a crouching position, using his now unveiled scorpion tail to block Magnhild. The man's laughter became haunting as he giggled and curled his fingers at Nora.

"Surprise." said the man, kicking Nora away and leaping backward onto a nearby roof.

"He's...a Faunus." said Ren.

"What is this about? The White Fang? Roman Torchwick?" asked Ruby.

"Plastic soldiers and pawns. My heart and body belong only to our goddess." said the mna, raising his arms to the sky.

"Cinder..." growled Ruby only for the man to laugh aloud.

"Hmph, only in her wildest dreams." said the man.

"Salem...You're working for Salem, aren't you?" I asked, the man's look changing from mirth to genuine surprise and the others to look at me in confusion.

"Well, now, color me impressed, little knight." said the man, leaping back onto the ground.

"Salem?" asked Ren, looking at me.

"Salem is our goddess, our queen, our savior! She will restore this world to it's rightful owners." shouted the man. "But first, we must snip this little rose." the man spoke, launching himself at Ruby, using his tail to smack her weapon down but her grip held it tight as the two began to engage in combat until he kicked her backward and went after Ren and I.

Nora, Ren, and I are swiftly kicked away when the man leaped away from us and towards Ruby, attacking her in several areas and causing her Aura to shimmer.

That was when I felt something strange as a lone crow flies past before shifting into a fully grown man and blocking the man's strike from his tail, trapping it in his weapon.

"Mr. Arc, allow me to introduce my associate...Qrow Branwen." said Prof. Ozpin.

"This is your associate? Ruby's uncle?" I asked him.

"Yes, but for now remain focus." he commanded.

The man's eyes widened as he managed to pull his tail free from Qrow's weapon.

"As I live and breathe, Qrow Branwen. A true huntsman has entered the fray!" shouted the man, looking elated to be fighting a fully-trained huntsman.

The look on Qrow's face must've been louder than I thought as Ruby opened her mouth to speak. "I don't know, this guy's weird."

Qrow nodded at this and turned to face the laughing maniac. "Look, pal, I'm not sure who you are, but you need to leave my niece alone."

This instead caused the maniac to chortle in response.

"Why, friend, my name is Tyrian. And, I'm afraid that is not possible. My assignment from Her Grace was to retrieve this young girl. So, that is what I must do. One does not upset the Queen." said Tyrian.

"Salem?" asked Ruby, remembering what I had said before.

"Yes, like our little knight said, our queen is known as Salem and she is here to deliever us to our true purpose." said Tyrian, his voice was like nails on a chalkboard. "But, I think we've had enough talk now, don't you?" Tyrian asked, taking a crouching position.

"Took the words right out of-" started Qrow, before getting cut off as Tyrian began to rush at him, using his automatic receiver in his vambraces to attack Qrow.

Both Nora and Ren rush to intervene only to be swiftly defeated by Tyrian but being protected by Qrow before the maniac could do any harm. The grown man turned to glare at them, "Don't come closer!" he shouted, pushing Tyrian away.

Ruby, seeing this as her opportunity to help, leaps onto a nearby building and takes aim at Tyrian. Unfortunately, the two of them are moving too fast for her to get a clear shot.

The fight continues onward until I felt a tug at the back of my mind.

"Mr. Arc, this battle will not end in our favor is either Qrow or Ms. Rose is injured." said Prof. Ozpin.

"Then what do we do? Because I don't know if you've noticed but I'm no match for this guy." I argued back.

"True, but provided you obtained the knowledge and skill of someone with experience then we might have a chance." said Prof. Ozpin.

"What do I need to do?" I asked him.

Hell, I was willing to do just about anything if it kept Ruby safe.

"You must relinquish control over to me, Mr. Arc." said Prof. Ozpin.

"How do I do that?" I asked.

"Simply will it and it will be done." said Prof. Ozpin.

Cryptic bastard.

But nevertheless, I closed my eyes focusing on only Prof. Ozpin and slowly, but surely, I felt myself being pulled away and felt the presence of Prof. Ozpin take my place.

It felt as if we were switching seats in front of television screen.

And when I...er, we opened our eyes, we felt...stronger, faster, better than ever before.

And then we took off, with a speed we'd never thought we could accomplish, towards the ongoing battle.

Swiftly, we took out our sword and with a skill we'd never possessed was able to disable Tyrian from Qrow's grip just before his tail met his side.

Ruby, reacting to this was able to slice Tyrian's tail clean off, spurting purple liquid to the ground. The Faunus reeling back in pain as he whirls around to face us.

"You...you..." stuttered the man.

"What's the matter Tyrie? Huntress got your tongue too?" asked Qrow, smirking at him.

Tyrian eyes narrowed into a glare, focusing on us as he attempted to move forward but found himself off-balance just as Ren and Nora joined us.

The ensemble of all of us must've been too much as he took few awkward steps back, muttering to himself. "She'll forgive you." before running away into the distance.

Finally, the ordeal was over and both Ruby and Qrow were safe.

But I guess the switching roles thing was too much for my body as the next thing I knew I was back in control and fell to one knee in exhaustion.

"Jaune! Are you okay?" asked Ruby, looking concerned.

"I'll be fine, Ruby. Just a little exhausted." I said, hoping to calm her down.

"I'll say, what was up with that guy?" asked Nora.

"And who's Salem?" asked Ren.

"And how did you do all those amazing moves?" finally asked Ruby.

"I think I can answer that." said Qrow, getting our attention before kneeling down to me and placing a handle in my hand, a smirk on his face.

"It's nice to see you again, Oz." said Qrow, the other's eyes widening in confusion.

"Jaune? What's he talking about?" asked Ruby.

Seeing no other way out of this, I sighed opening my eyes to look at them.

"There's something I need to tell you all."

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 **Greetings everyone,**

 **The new updates will be as such for "The Knight & The Wizard".**

 **Chapter Three Due - March 4th.**

 **Other than that, nothing new to add.**

 **Till next time!**


	3. An Awkward Conversation

**Greetings everyone and here is the third chapter of The Knight & The Wizard. This is a bit short but I felt it worked regardless. And it's time for an awkward conversation for our hero.**

 **Nothing else. Let me know what you think in a review and make sure to favorite and follow along.**

 **Till next time!**

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Chapter Three

Throughout most of my life, I always imagined the most awkward conversation would be asking a girl out on a date. But now I see that this pales in comparison to that.

It'd been just a few hours after we fought that crazed-Faunus, maniac, Tyrian and Ozpin and I performed our first switch...or was it fusion? Hell, if I know anymore. And now we were trying to set up camp for the night. Qrow was doing one last perimeter sweep while the rest of use set up camp.

Ren was making some soup, Nora was setting up some tents, Ruby was getting the fire started, while I was busy gathering some firewood. I could tell the others were confused...Maybe even disappointed in me. I had kept a secret from them and now just any kind of secret, no, I just so happen to be the new reincarnation of our thought-to-be-dead headmaster, Professor Ozpin. That's something some might consider to be conversation-worthy.

But now it just felt like whenever I'd open my mouth they'd look to me for answers...And sadly, I'm just as lost and confused as them.

I inhaled a short breath before releasing it as a sigh and found myself gazing up at the starry night sky. The stars were thrown about with such care that it almost felt like it was done on purpose.

If only Pyrrha had been there to see it with me.

Finally, after gathering some more firewood, I reluctantly walked back to camp only to find the others already sitting and enjoying some soup. Their eyes turned to me and while I knew they meant nothing bad, I couldn't help but feel as if I wasn't wanted here...Perhaps that's the guilt talking or my insecurity acting up again.

But whatever the case, I dropped the firewood next to the campfire before pouring myself a bowl of soup and taking my seat on a nearby log.

Silence came soon after.

It lasted for so long I was almost begging for some Grimm to attack just to avoid it.

"Mr. Arc, I believe it is time. May I?" asked Ozpin.

Yeah, I knew this was coming but I'm still not looking forward to it.

So I placed my soup down onto the ground, releasing another sigh in the process.

"Okay...uh...I'm not sure exactly how to go about this so..." I said just before giving the seat over to Ozpin.

And once again, I became we.

Slowly, our eyes opened once more, we felt different yet again.

Not the same yet not so different either.

We weren't two people but one being.

With shared memories.

Shared dreams.

Experience.

Fears.

Hopes.

And life.

And now, it was time to explain ourselves.

"It's so very good to see you again, students." we said, smiling at our...students...friends.

The look of confusion on their faces was palpable.

"Professor...Ozpin?" asked Ren.

"Correct. And though I may be the one speaking, Mr. Arc is still present mentally. He's merely handed over control, so to speak." we answered before thinking to ourselves, "Just make sure we don't do anything embarrassing, please."

Once again their confusion was very noticeable.

"I'm afraid this all must be very perplexing." we said, feeling slightly disappointed in ourselves.

"And alarming, and bizarre, and just REALLY kind of hard to believe overall!" exclaimed Nora in her normal over-the-top tone.

But for some reason, we couldn't help but chuckle at this.

They had been through so much pain already...We had been through so much pain...

"It's good to see you children still have your sense of humor. I know you've all been through tremendous hardship already. I'm sorry." we said, feeling even more guilty over hiding the truth.

"I mean, it's not your fault." said Ruby, the ever-so happy optimist.

But sadly, optimism had no place here.

"It is my fault, Miss Rose. Do you remember when I told you that I had made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child?" we asked, remembering that day we had spoken to Ruby.

She had been feeling disappointed in herself, thinking she was made a leader by mistake.

And in an effort to soothe her worry we spoke to her about the number of mistakes we had made...But we made sure to tell her that our making her leader of Team RWBY was not one of them.

Regardless, she slowly nodded her head.

And it was time to tell them our story.

"Is there any questions?" we asked, finishing our story of the maidens and of course, our recent reincarnation.

"Well, yeah, of course we have questions! This is just...a lot to take in." said Ruby, putting her two index fingers together.

"It's quite alright, Miss Rose. I would more than happy to answer any questions you may have." we said, smiling softly at her.

"So these...Maidens...They're powerful figures that don't need Dust to use magic?" she asked, not quite sure of her question.

"Correct." we replied.

"And there are four of them?" asked Nora.

"One to represent each season; Fall, Winter, Spring, and lastly, Summer. That is the way it had always been throughout time." we answered.

"Which means that, whenever one of them dies, the power transfers to someone - a female - that they care about?" asked Ren.

It was here that Qrow decided to speak out; "Whoever was in their thoughts last. Important distinction. Best option is someone we can trust. Regardless, their souls become combined, in a way. Like our resident Spellsword over here."

"And Pyrrha...The night the tower fell. we were trying to turn her into a Maiden...Weren't we?" We asked ourselves, growing angry and causing us to hold our head in pain.

But Qrow, unnoticed of our pain, continued further.

"The previous Fall Maiden, Amber, had been attacked. she was young, inexperienced. And her assailant, who we now know is Cinder, somehow managed to steal some of her power, but not all of it. We were afraid that if we didn't do something, the rest would go to her as well."

But his words only caused us more strife.

"We forced it on Pyrrha!" We shouted.

"No, we didn't. We explained the situation and gave her a choice, and Miss Nikos chose to become a guardian." We tried reasoning with ourselves.

"She wouldn't even need to become a Maiden if we had defeated Salem in the first place! She still be alive and we wouldn't be trapped with ourselves!" we argued back.

"Mr. Arc, we must remain calm. Any further and we will be in dire need." we tried once more to reason with each other.

"Screw it! It's our fault Salem is alive! It's our fault Beacon and Vale have fallen! It's our fault she died! She's dead because of us!" we shouted, grabbing our head in pain.

"GAAAHHH!" we let out a piercing scream before feeling ourselves torn apart.

And just as I felt myself come back to normal, the pain in my head became too much and I fell to the ground.

The voices of the others my only assurance of what had happened...

"What happened, Uncle Qrow?!" I heard Ruby shout.

"I don't know! Oz? Oz? Kid?" said Qrow, the feeling of his hands gripping our shoulder was the only thing keeping us awake.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Ren, looking down at me, his magenta-colored eyes shining with worry.

"I just said, I don't fucking know!" Qrow shouted, sighing and scratching the back of his head. "This isn't good...we need to get to Haven and fast."

"But Haven is several miles away, we'll never make it in time!" shouted Ren, growing angry for me.

"And if we don't go now, there's a chance they'll both die!" shouted Qrow. "Oz once told me that there was a time he was reincarnated into the body of a man similar to this kid. But eventually, Oz started to realize that not every host...is willing to part with their own life. The two would fight constantly and eventually it torn their souls apart...And unfortunately, only one soul can pass on...Now we need to get to Haven as soon as possible...Hopefully, Leo can help us." said Qrow, standing up. "Everyone get your gear, we need to move ASAP." he said, watching as the others scrambled for their supplies before looking down at me. "Don't worry, kid. We'll get you some help as soon as we can. Just hold out until then."

And as Ruby leaned over our face, her usual happy silver eyes replaced by worry, I felt my eyes close, blacking out from the pain.


	4. Through The Eyes of Another

**Greetings everyone, and welcome to the last of my "Rapid-Fire" chapters of The Knight & The Wizard. After this chapter, the scheduling of this story will be for every other Sunday in order to split focus between Gun X RWBY and this story.**

 **Other than that nothing new to add.**

 **Till next time!**

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Chapter Four

Pain...Misery...Anger...These were emotions I was more than familiar with. From the day I was born to the day I was cursed, I had done nothing but cause others pain.

I had thought that secluding myself in my home would save them.

Prevent them from experiencing the pain, misery, and anger I felt each and every day.

But then they appeared before me.

And slowly as each of them had come to rest at my cabin, their kindness and generosity broke through my shell and I had finally felt free from my sorrow.

So I did what any sensible man would do...I repaid their kindness with a gift.

One befitting each of them.

I granted them a portion of my magic.

I knew these four would use their gifts for humanity.

To protect and nuture it.

As they had done for me.

And with each new life, I watched as they gifts were taken from them and used for the purpose of causing harm.

And instead, I ran once again...secluding myself back in my cabin.

But as the seasons came and go, I often found myself reliving those days when I had met those four women...

Winter, who encouraged me to reflect on my past and accept my failures.

Spring, who revitalized not only my garden, but of myself as well.

Summer, who convinced me to embrace the world, regardless of it's faults.

And finally, Fall, who taught me to be thankful for the gifts I had been given, for the life I had, and for the mistakes I made.

For each mistake...was a stepping stone to becoming who I was meant to be.

And so I made it my duty...my life's work...to put an end to Salem and bring peace to this world.

But much like the waves of the sea...my mistakes would always come back to my shore and take more and more away from myself.

My latest mistake came in the form of my newest host...a boy by the name of Jaune Arc.

The lad had promise that much was true.

And to purposely forge his application for Beacon was one Qrow might call "Brass One's."

But his reasoning was one I was more than happy to accept.

He had wanted to become a Huntsman...A hero...By any means necessary, even if it meant using less than desirable means.

I knew I was taking a risk in accepting young Jaune into Beacon Academy.

Brothers know the amount of arguments Glynda and I would have over my willful ways.

First with Mr. Arc and then with Ms. Rose.

But if there was one thing I learned over my many, many, many, years of life it was that one must never look skin deep.

But now...Jaune was in pain.

And once again...I was to blame.

While it was true that I never intended to force Ms. Nikos to become the next Fall maiden. It is true that it would never have been the case if not for my mistakes.

I was the reason Salem had become what she was.

I was the reason the hosts of the Maidens were constantly being hunted for their power.

I was the reason Beacon and Vale fell.

I was the reason Ms. Nikos had perished.

And I was the reason...She was killed.

It was my fault...

And now, Mr. Arc was suffering because of it.

Now, all I could do was watch my students and Qrow rush to Haven, carrying Mr. Arc in a hastily made stretcher.

"Just hold on, Jaune." I heard Ms. Rose say. Most certainly watching over Mr. Arc any kind of sign.

"It's my fault...It's my fault." Mr. Arc mumbled, no doubt the separation of our fusion scarring his very soul and was most likely reliving my mistakes.

"Uncle Qrow, he's getting worse." said Ms. Rose.

"I know but there's not much we can do but keep him hydrated and awake. Who knows what going on in there." said Qrow.

"Well, how much farther is it?" asked Ms. Rose.

"We've gotta be close." said Ms. Valkyrie.

"Without the map, there's no way of knowing. But I feel like we're close to something..." said Mr. Lie just before holstering his weapons and managing to catching Ms. Rose's attention in the process.

"What is it?" Ms. Rose asked when she noticed a sign up ahead.

It was directional signpost.

One used by travelers on journeys to different villages.

To the right was Higanbana, Kuchinashi, and Mistral, where the terrain was mountainous. And to the left was Kuroyuri, it's tile crossed out but the terrain remaining on low ground.

"Hey, hey! It's Mistral! We're on the right path! Oh..." said Ms. Valkyrie, her voice trailing along.

"Does it say how close?!" exclaimed Ms. Rose, her tone filled with worry for Mr. Arc.

"No. And it looks like the path takes us up the mountains." said Mr. Lie.

"Yeah and there's no way the kid is gonna make it...We've got no other choice but to go around." said Qrow, having experienced the hike from Beacon to Haven many times over his years as my associate.

"Then we just have to go through Kuro...Kuroyuri. Maybe we can find some help there." said Ms. Rose.

"The village was destroyed years ago." said Mr. Lie.

"Doesn't matter, it's the best chance we've got." said Qrow, taking his flask out for a drink.

"It will take too long." said Mr. Lie, growing angrier by the moment.

"The town would've had a doctor or clinic, right? Maybe we could scavenge for medicine!" shouted Ms. Rose, eager to help Mr. Arc with his aching body.

"Good eye, shortie." complimented Qrow.

"We're not going to find anything! We just have to press on!" shouted Mr. Lie just before being lifted off the ground by an angered Qrow.

"Now listen here, you little shit, I don't know what your problem with this Kuroyuri place is and frankly I don't give a fuck! But if you think that taking a weakened man through a mountain range filled with nesting Nevermores, Griffons, and fucking HARPIES is a better idea then you're a fucking moron!" shouted Qrow, dropping Mr. Lie who was swiftly caught by Ms. Valkyrie.

"What if we split up?" asked Ms. Valkyrie.

"Huh?" replied Ms. Rose.

"Ren and I can cut through the mountains while you and Qrow take Jaune around the village." said Ms. Valkyrie.

"No way, we're supposed to stick together! We keep each other safe!" argued Ms. Rose.

"We don't have time for safe! If we make it to Mistral then we can bring back help! if we don't, at least we'll have a better view of the land! Up there, we can see if there's somewhere else we can go!" said Ms. Valkyrie.

"Fine...It's not the most ideal plan but it's the best one we have...So it'll have to do." said Qrow.

"Take care of each other." said Ms. Rose, watching as Ms. Valkyrie took Mr. Lie's hand in her own, smiling at him.

"We always have." she said as she and Mr. Lie walked down the left path while Qrow and Ms. Rose carried Mr. Arc and I towards Kuroyuri.

"They'll be fine, right? Maybe we'll have a little luck in Kuroyuri." said Ms. Rose, trying to make light of the dreadful situation.

While Qrow, who no stranger to luck simple muttered softly to himself.

"Luck my ass." scoffed Qrow.


	5. Collection Of Souls

**Greetings everyone and here is the fifth chapter you've all been waiting for. Make sure to check back next Sunday on the 18th for the thirteenth chapter of "Gun X RWBY." Oh and by the way, I don't mind it if you guys want to take this story idea and make your own stories. I encourage you to do so. Just think of it...Ozpin merged with Ren or Ruby or hell even Nora! NORA! I think that would be an awesome story idea. And to answer a review from "EmD23" I agree with you. I had originally thought about making them hesitate about leaving but unfortunately I just couldn't figure how to do so without deviating too far from continuity. I'm still new at writing so I want to remain close to the show's outline before going off canon. But I do hope you're all enjoying this story so far.**

 **Till next time!**

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Chapter Five

Why did it hurt so much? Seeing everyone I cherished perish without a second thought. Their hopes and dreams relegated to nothing but rubbish in a collection of garbage. Every moment was filled with torment, each step felt like another step into molten magma, and every twitch was like a bed of barbed spikes, digging into my body as my crimson blood seeped out of the open wounds. But the worst of it all was hearing their screams...Their cries for safety, for mercy, for help.

And I couldn't do anything to help them.

But who were these people? What had happened to them? Where was I? Who was I? These questions and many more filled the empty void of my mind.

All around me was nothing but complete darkness and the screams that came from the abyss.

Why did it hurt to hear their cries? To feel their screams digging into my very soul much like a bird's talons ripping into a rabbit's flesh. And as I floated in that dark void, hearing the wails of the damned calling out to me. "Ozpin..." Ozpin? Was that my name? But that couldn't be right, right? "Ozpin..." And yet, they still called out me, each one using that name. Ozpin. It felt so foreign and yet so familiar at the same time. But then who was Jaune?

"Ozpin!" They continued on, shouting the name like a demonic angelical choir. Soon enough, I felt the slimy clawed hands grip my wrists and ankles. I tried desperately to shake them off but to no avail, their grips were like that of a set of iron clamps, keeping me in place.

Then they began shouting that name into my very soul. "OZPIN!" They shouted, their claws digging into my arms and legs. "OZPIN!" Their demonic screams filled my ear canals with an assortment of emotions; rage, sorrow, disgust, and betrayal. "OZPIN!"

That wasn't my name! It couldn't be my name! But then why did that name feel so familiar?

"OZPIN!"

Stop it! That's not my name! My name is...is...Who was I?

Was I Ozpin? Was I Jaune?

It felt like my own soul was tearing itself apart. But why? Why was this all happening? Who were all of these people in the void? Suddenly a bright light filled my vision, illuminating the dark abyss around me and silencing the screams. In the place of the surrounding light was the outline of a man.

Strange, it felt as if I knew this figure.

"You do know me, albeit on a less personal level." The figure called out. Was this figure reading my thoughts? "I have no need to read your thoughts...After all this was my mindscape as well."

Mindscape? Was that where I was? What was that dark void? What were those things?

"I'm afraid that is much more complicated. But what I can tell you is that that man named Ozpin is not what he seems. And I shall show you." said the figure stretching out to meet me.

And yet, I felt hesitant to meet it. Why did it feel strange to look at this figure? Why did it feel that if I were to grab hold of it's outstretched hand all that I knew would cease to function.

And yet, what other choice did I have?

And just as soon I gripped it's hand, the void surrounding us began to fade away, being replaced by trees, grass, and an autumn sky. standing erect behind the figure was a wooden cabin.

"This is where it all began...When the first maidens were created." The figure said, his words taking shape and turning into four distinct women. And once again, it felt strange. It was as if I knew these women and yet I knew nothing at all.

Who were these women?

"These women were the first maidens; Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Ozpin granted these women a portion of his power, or magic if you will, after they showed him the joys of life outside his safe haven. Or rather, his cage. They showed him that life is precious and that all are worthy of freedom and chance. He gave them gifts so that they may share their knowledge and kindness with the world of men." And then the scenery began to change. The girls were placed upon a wooden stage, their bodies tied to wooden pillars upon a pier of wood. The cabin was replaced by a mob, each holding a torch in one hand and a weapon in the other. And standing atop the stage was a man dressed in black. "But then it all changed...It turned out that not all men were as kind as these women. They captured them, tied them to pillars, and watched with glee as their bodies burned in the flames. Their kindness was paid with charred flesh and boiling blood." The scenery changed once again, the four women were replaced by four girls, each one younger than the other. "But it didn't end...Much like ourselves, they too, were doomed. And each life was ended just as the others had." said the figure.

Why? Why did they do this? All those women wanted was to make the world better.

"Yes, but sadly not every man is willing to let others have a power they cannot control. And after witnessing these atrocities one too many times Ozpin made it his duty to help the next generation of maidens. Soon their lives became myths and eventually fairy tales. The world had forgotten the maidens and they were free to live without fear...Or so he thought."

The scenery around began to fade away once again, changing into a wasteland of death and destruction. A crumbled ruin of buildings and corpses littered throughout the area. And standing atop a pile of rubble and flesh was...Salem and four women, each donned in armor.

"Salem had found the next generation of maidens and turned them into her own personal weapons. Ozpin knew he couldn't allow her to have their power...so he did what he had to do." Then the women laid at our feet covered in blood, their eyes open and their mouths closed. "He slew them...And Salem retreated to her hole as his soul passed on from this life and into the next."

And soon the scenery changed again, being replaced by a luscious green forest.

"With each new life, Ozpin is reborn and we are changed. Sometimes we are one way and other times we are another. Never the same and yet never different. That is what we are...a collection of souls doomed to remain forever...And just as we are cursed to be trapped in the void...So, too, will you, Jaune."

Then those screams...Those were Ozpin's hosts?

"They are the collection of souls one elderly wizard has taken...His empty promises were just that...Empty promises. He took our lives and eventually our souls for himself. Every time always saying it was for the good of humanity. It starts off slowly, first he merges with you, says the things you wish to hear before finally taking full control over your body."

Who are you?

"Hmm, truth be told...I don't know. I have long since forgotten my name and soon I will join the others in the darkness and you will replace me."

Replace you? How do I stop it? How do I take back my life?

"There is only one true way to end this misery caused by that man...You must break this curse. You must slay Salem and the curse will be broken and we may finally move on from this hell. Do not be swayed by his silver tongue, for if you do...you, too, will cease to exist...forever."

Is Ozpin evil?

"Truthfully, no, I don't believe he is, at least not in the way of Salem. But I cannot deny that Ozpin is dangerous man willing to sacrifice others to further his goal...Even if that goal is for the good of humanity."

Suddenly, I felt a strange sensation grip my arm, pulling me away from the figure. What was happening? Where am I going?

"It seems our time is over. I can only hope you are the one who will finally free us from this world. Goodbye...Jaune." said the figure, fading away as I was pulled from the void. My eyes opening as they gazed upon the wooden ceiling above my bed. My body aching in pain with every twitch as my head felt like someone was pounding it with a hammer.

I tried desperately to sit myself up only to fall back on the bed in pain.

 _"Mr. Arc, thank heavens you're alright."_ said Ozpin, surprising me with his sudden appearance.

"Ozpin? What happened? Where is everyone?" I asked him through a dried and parched throat.

 _"Calm yourself, Mr. Arc, everyone is fine. Thankfully, after our "episode" our allies carried us through the terrain until a Mistral dropship found us. We are currently in the medical bay of Haven Academy."_ replied Ozpin.

"My feels like Nora's hitting me with Magnhild. And what the hell was up with that dream?" I asked aloud.

 _"Dream? Mr. Arc, what exactly do you remember from your dream?"_ asked Ozpin, suddenly sounding cautious.

"Remember...fire and screaming...And Salem. What the fuck is happening to me, Oz?" I asked him.

 _"I'm afraid I do not know, Mr. Arc. But count your blessings that you are in good hands."_ said Ozpin.

And no soon did he say that the door to my room swung open to reveal Ruby and in her hands was a tray of food. Her silver eyes widening at the sight of me as she dropped the tray and rushed towards me, throwing her arms around my neck as her tears coated my shoulder. And though the pain was nearly unbearable, I couldn't help but wrap my own arm around her, pulling her close to myself.

"You're okay...You're okay..." I heard her mumble into the chest and bringing a smile to my face.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Ruby." I answered her, watching as she pulled back, tears still in her eyes and being the gentleman that I was, I gently wiped her tears with my thumb, smiling at her as I looked into her silver eyes.

Slowly, we began to laugh when a cough caught our attention. Our heads turning to see Qrow, standing in the doorway and holding a flask in his hand.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked, smirking at us and causing our cheeks to redden in embarrassment. Though Ruby seemed to take it farther.

"Nothing! Nothing's going on here! Nothing at all! We were just...Um...Uh." she began to stutter before giving up.

But luckily Qrow took in stride as he ruffled up her hair with Ruby desperately trying to smack him with her hands to no avail. It took maybe a few seconds of messing with Ruby before Qrow turned to face me.

"Kiddo, go and get the others, tell 'em the kid is awake." said Qrow.

And after Ruby looked back at me, seeing a smile was enough as she raced out to get Ren and Nora. And Qrow, taking a close seat next my bed, stared into my eyes.

"Oz? You in there?" asked Qrow. Perhaps he was checking to see if Ozpin and I were still linked?

 _"Mr. Arc, it might be best if I took over from here."_ said Ozpin but unlike our other conversations, his words this time felt...off.

And while a part of me was willing to allow this, another part of myself felt...strange and instead chose to answer myself.

"Ozpin and I are still linked, Qrow." my words granting some form of relief for the drunken man as he took another swig of his flask.

"Good, cause no offense kid, but without Oz we'd be up shit's creek without a damn boat." said Qrow.

Offense taken.

"What happened, after I blacked out?" I asked.

"Shit got a little...wild. We carried you to this village called Kuroyuri where we ended fighting this Grimm. Thing had the body of a horse and the torso of a horned monster. Fuckin' thing will sure as hell give me nightmares. Luckily, we were able to fight the thing off until rescue arrived. Then it just became a matter of waiting for you to wake up before we decided on anything farther. Speaking of which, do you remember anything when you were passed out?" he asked.

"I think...I think I saw Ozpin's memories. I don't know...it's all a blur now." I tried desperately to remember anything but nothing came to mind.

"It's alright Spellsword, don't sweat it. I can barely remember most of my weekends anyway." said Qrow.

I could tell he was trying his best to make me feel better but it just wasn't working. I glanced down at the IV tube sticking out of my arm, almost watching it to see if it would move on it's own. It wasn't until I felt the crushing arms of Nora, wrapping themselves around me that I noticed her.

"Jaune-Jaune's awake! Ren! Look! Jaune's awake! Are you looking?!" shouted a hyperactive Nora as Ren attempted to save me from dying of asphyxiation.

"Yes, Nora, I see it. Now please let go of Jaune before his dies." said Ren finally getting Nora to release her vice-like grip around my neck.

My hand reached to my neck, taking each breath with delicate care.

"Oh, sweet oxygen, I swear I will never take you for granted ever again." I said aloud, causing Nora to scratch the back of her head in embarrassment as Ruby walked in with a new tray of food and a cup of water. "Thanks Ruby." I said, digging into the buttered toast and crispy bacon. "Whoever created bacon deserves to be worshiped as a savior of humanity." my words causing the others to start laughing.

And as I listened the obviously exaggerated story of my friends fighting off against the new Grimm I turned and watched the golden horizon enshroud the city of Mistral. This was where Pyrrha was born, this was her home, where her family lived...I could finally put my plan into action.


	6. In The Lion's Den

**Greetings everyone and here is your sixth chapter of "The Knight The Wizard"! I'm so glad you're all enjoying the story and the awesome feedback from all of you. And I've got to give a shout out to "dandyrr0403", who's been reading along with us and giving feedback that is greatly appreciated. Make sure to check back on the 1st of April for the next chapter of "Gun X RWBY".**

 **Oh, and to everyone who's been checking out my latest addition, "Don't Mess With An Arc", I'm so glad you're all enjoying the first chapter. However, it will be awhile until I'm able to officially start the story. I'd like to finish up at least one of these stories before doing so.**

 **Nothing else to add...So, till next time!**

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Chapter Six

 _"So, this is Mistral?"_ I thought to myself, utterly stunned by the sheer beauty the magnificent city; from the airships that sailed the azure skies to the gentle gusts of wind that caressed the white cliffs of Anima. And down below the huntsman academy was the kingdom of Mistral.

The walkways were abuzz with activity, just like...Vale.

 _"Mr. Arc, what happened in Vale was not your fault."_ said Ozpin, trying to cheer me up.

But saying it wasn't my fault is not the same as me believing it.

 _"But if I hadn't moved...If I had taken Cinder's arrow then...Maybe she'd be alive."_ I thought to myself, waiting for Ozpin's reply.

 _"Perhaps, Mr. Arc...But it is best not dwell on the past and instead focus on the present so that the future is a possibility."_ the elderly headmaster answered.

And while a part of me wanted nothing more than sulk in silence, even I knew that Ozpin was right. So, I gathered my composure and walked into the building where we were staying, giving one last over-the-shoulder glance to the beautiful scenery. I can see why Pyrrha loved this place so much.

As I walked into the main living area, I came upon an interesting scene; Ren was off to the side reading his botany book that bought at the market place, Ruby was doing some maintenance work on Crescent Rose, and Nora was trying to balance on a tower of books.

Don't ask...I've learned it's best not to ask.

It only took a moment for Nora to take notice of my presence as a bright wide smile spread on her lips.

"Ugh! It's about time! We thought you'd never wake up!" said a very happy Nora and getting both Ren and Ruby to look up from their respected projects and look at me.

"Are you feeling okay, Jaune?" asked Ruby, clearly feeling concerned about my well-being and bring a smile to my face.

"I'm alright Ruby, thanks. Where's Qrow?" I asked, not seeing the drunken bastard anywhere.

"He's seeing Professor Lionheart. Wanted to see if he could him to agree to a meeting and told us to stay and watch over you." answered Ren, raising himself off the comfortable couch and walked towards me, a small smile on his face as he extended a hand out to me, one that I was more than happy to return. "It's good to see you alive and well, Jaune."

"Same here, Ren." I said back, smiling at my friend, nay, my brother in arms.

That is until I felt Nora pull us apart before jumping in the middle and looking up at me with her cyan eyes. "Are you going to tell us about that crazy awesome thing you did? You know where you went WOOSHQ! Then WHAM! Before going KASLICE! Huh? Huh? Huh?" asked a very jumpy Nora causing both myself and Ozpin to chuckle at her behavior.

 _"Even in the face of adversity you and your team have continued to remain in high spirits, not many would be able to say the same."_ said Ozpin, not doubt smiling at us through my eyes.

 _"We have each other to thank for that. If I didn't have these guys I doubt I'd be able to go this far."_ I answered back, watching my teammates laugh and cheer just as the double doors to our room opened up to reveal Qrow and standing behind him was a grown man, most likely in his late 40s with a lion's tail connected to his lower back.

This must've been Professor Lionheart, the headmaster of Haven Academy.

"Alright, kiddos, this is Leonardo Lionheart, head honcho of this ghost town of a school." said Qrow, confirming my assumption.

"Yeah, about that, where is everyone?" asked Ruby, speaking out what we were all already thinking.

"Perhaps it is best you all take a seat...This will take some explaining." said Professor Lionheart, taking a seat in the nearby ottoman while the rest of us took or places on the couch and chair, while Qrow decided to lean against the wall. "Ever since the fall of Beacon, Mistral has been in chaos. The council has been at odds with representatives from Atlas. First, it was the Dust embargo, and now the council have decided to close it's borders. I'm not sure what happened with Jame in Vale but it's no doubt only worsened some of his...unfortunate tendencies." said Lionheart, sighing in despair. "And it's come to my attention that Qrow has already notified you all about Ozpin's predicament and of the maiden's tale. But I'm afraid your journey has been for naught, ever since she ran away...I do not know where the Spring Maiden resides anymore."

"So then send some huntsman to search for her, it can't be that hard, right?" asked Ruby, trying to find a gold coin in a chest of fools.

"Kid, with the way things are going now, negativity is threw the roofs and most of the huntsman and huntress have already been called to action." said Qrow, taking a swig from his flask before his serious look changed to one of sorrow. "Some...haven't been calling back though."

"What is so important about these Maidens anyway?" asked Ruby, her tiny pale white fists gripping together.

"I thought you filled them in, Qrow." said Lionheart, slightly glaring at Qrow, who held his flask to his lips.

"MOSTLY filled in. Look, there's a lot to cover, okay? I quit teaching for a reason." said Qrow, taking another swig from his flask while the rest of us watched with deadpanned faces.

The lion-like headmaster sighed before facing us again. "The four Maidens each have the power to perform feats of magic, and THEY are the only ones capable of reach the Relics."

"The relics?" I asked aloud.

"The Relics are each locked inside a chamber that can only be opened by a specific Maiden. Winter for the gift of Creation, Summer for Destruction, Fall for Choice, and Spring for Knowledge. However, after recent events regarding Spring, that is no longer possible. She was determined, at first, when she inherited her powers, but the weight of responsibility proved too much for the child. She had decided to run away one night and abandon her training, along with everyone that had placed their faith in her. That was over a decade ago. There's no telling where she could be now."

"I...know. At least...I have a pretty good idea." said Qrow, his words having some sort of effect on Professor Lionheart as he stood from his seat, his eyes widening. "Are you serious. Qrow?" asked Lionheart, walking towards the hardened huntsman and placing his hands on Qrow's shoulders.

"I did some digging and it's not exactly good news. Turns out after Spring ran away, she was picked up by bandits, specifically the Branwen tribe." said Qrow as Lionheart's eyes widened, this time with fear.

"Raven." said the cowardly lion.

Raven...That was Yang's mother...Why do I feel like I've known her for years when I haven't ever met her? Was this because of my latest fusion with Ozpin? Are his memories becoming my memories?

 _Focus, Mr. Arc. I will explain what is happening after this meeting is adjourned, I promise."_ said Ozpin, grabbing my attention and directing it towards Qrow, who had taken the liberty of using the room's holographic projection system to create a three-dimensional map of Remnant before zooming in on Anima.

"That's about where they've set up their main camp. It's where they fall back after raids and scouting missions. Raven's managed to gain a lot of followers since she returned to the tribe, and I'm sure when Spring showed up, it only made things easier." said Qrow, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, Qrow, I've got to hand it to you. With these coordinates, we can mount a retrieval force and head out in a few weeks." said Lionheart, placing his own scroll onto the projection system in order to copy Qrow's files. But the lion-like headmaster's words did little to calm the raging beast inside of Qrow.

"A few weeks?" he asked, almost not believing it.

"That's correct." Lionheart replied.

"Leo, maybe you didn't hear me. My sister has the Spring Maiden, and I know where she is. We need to go, as soon as possible!" shouted a very angry Qrow, the raised volume causing the rest of us to flinch.

But it seemed as thought Lionheart was just as much, if not more so, angry at the situation as well. "And perhaps you didn't hear ME. This kingdom is in shambles. "As soon as possible" doesn't mean tomorrow. It means, as soon as I can convince the council that I need Huntsmen more than they do and unfortunately, bandit tribes are not high on their list of priorities when the threat of war is just on the horizon." said Lionheart, meeting Qrow's steel gaze.

But Qrow was not willing to back down anytime soon as he threw his flask at the wall, splashing the wood with alcohol. "Then damn the council! We'll do it ourselves! You and I are trained Huntsmen and these kids aren't exactly pushovers, especially Spellsword over there." said Qrow, pointing at me and by extension, Ozpin.

But it appeared that Lionheart was unmoved by Qrow's words as he instead ignored our cheers and Qrow's speech.

"Unfortunately, you and your sister are evenly matched. And I am not the fighter I used to be. And while I mean no offense, these students and I can't take on an entire bandit tribe and a Maiden that's no doubt had years to hone her skills. We need to be positive we can apprehend Spring, because if we fail then Raven and her tribe will scatter and we'll be at a loss. We get one shot at this and it needs to be perfect, regardless of our personal dilemmas." said Lionheart.

After several beats of silence, Qrow reluctantly backed away, releasing a heavy sigh as he took a glance at me and Ozpin before looking back at Professor Lionheart.

""You know, Oz wouldn't be happy with any of this if he were here." said Qrow, watching Lionheart intensely.

"Perhaps you're right. But he is not. I'm doing the very best I can, Qrow. I'm sorry." apologized Lionheart.

It was then that Ruby stood from her seat, her arms stretched outward. "There has to be something we can do." she said, looking at Professor Lionheart as he red cloak fluttered about. Her stance was soon copied by Ren, who stood from his spot on the couch.

"What about Cinder Fall? She transfered to Beacon during the Vytal Festival along with Emerald and Mercury, all of them claiming to be students from Haven." said Ren, his brows furrowing in irritation at the situation.

"I have searched their files prior to your arrival. Nothing but lies and forgeries." said Lionheart.

And just like that my calm and collected emotions turned to rage and sorrow.

Lies.

Forgery.

They had lied to everyone in order to infiltrate Beacon Academy.

They pretended to be are friends just so they could stab us in the backs.

Emerald Sustrai.

Mercury Black.

Cinder Fall.

Three names were added to my list and I was damn sure going to cross their names out.

Luckily, I had Ozpin to calm me down so that nothing happened to me. For all his annoying tendencies and cryptic way of speaking, I knew that Ozpin cared about our well-being. But ever since that weird dream, I've been second guessing him at every turn. I'm almost afraid to tell Ozpin...Like if I did then something would happen to me, but I just can't figure out what.

Regardless, I turned my eyes from the floor and back up to Qrow, who had picked up his flask and placed it back in his jacket. "Well, I can't say this has been a warm reunion, Leo."

"I'm sorry. I know you've all traveled a long way. But I will do everything I can to help." said Lionheart, pushing himself from his seat and straightening his collar.

"Sure. We'll stay in the city for the time being." said Qrow, taking out his scroll and showing it to Lionheart. "Local comms are still up. Keep in touch." he finished as Lionheart made his way to the exit before being stopped by Ruby.

"It was nice meeting you, Professor." said Ruby, a slight optimistic smile on her otherwise saddened face.

And for a short moment I spotted a strange look in his eyes...Sad...Almost regretful. Before being quickly replaced by a look of contentedness.

"Likewise, Ms. Rose." said Lionheart, leaving the room and then the building and leaving us as the only residents within.

Silence filled the room as we began to contemplate about the conversation, that is until Qrow spoke up. "What does Ozpin have to say about ole Leo?"

 _"Mr. Arc? If I may?"_ asked Ozpin as we fused once again to give our insight on the situation at hand.

"It appears that Leonardo is acting very suspicious." we said, grasping our hands over the handle of our cane.

"But I thought the headmasters all took their orders from you." said Ren, pointing a very true observation and proving once again why the boy had done so well on his assignments.

"That was the intention, yes. Four lieutenants we can trust, especially during times of reincarnation. But given Leonardo's behavior, it is clear something is wrong. He is not just acting irrational, he is disobeying specific instructions we had left him. And though it pains us to say it, we cannot rule out any possibilities, either. It is clear that Leonardo is unaware of our recent reincarnation, and it may be best to ensure it remains that way, at least for the time being." we finished just in time for Qrow to hand us a hot cup of coffee.

It's bitter taste making us smile.

Strange...We could've sworn we hated black coffee.

"Play things close to the chest until we get a better hand." Qrow pointed out, causing us to smile.

"Precisely. Now, we have two steps ahead of us. The first is enlisting the aid of additional Huntsmen." we said, taking another sip.

"But Qrow said that Huntsmen were called away to protect the people, in case of Grimm attacks." said Ren, pointing out another observation.

"True, but the Mistral council does not own every Huntsman in the Kingdom. Beneath every stone is a secret and in this world, secrets are more valuable then gold." we replied, smirking ever so slightly.

"I've been around Mistral enough times to know where we can find some "helpful volunteers"." said Qrow.

"So long as they're trustworthy." we quickly added.

"You can trust them to put up a good fight. I'll throw a list together and go out searching later tonight." said Qrow, walking off to begin his objective but not before tapping a bookshelf with his elbow, causing it to fall apart with books spilling over the wooden floor.

With Nora adding with a giggle, "Good luck with that."

Qrow then breathed out a massive sigh as he began cleaning his mess.

"After that, we can move on to step two." we said, smirking.

"What's step two?" asked Ruby, slightly worried about what was to come.

And no sooner had she said that, we extended our cane at Ruby. The end stopping just shy of her pale nose and causing her to jump back in surprise.

"Getting you all into fighting shape." we said, causing some confusion for the others.

"But, uh, we already know how to fight." said Ruby, almost bragging.

"True, but, you can only fight so long as you have Crescent Rose, but you're still lacking in hand-to-hand combat." we replied, pointing an obvious flaw in Ruby's words.

An observation that had Ruby feeling embarrassed, no doubt already knowing this flaw.

"Well, uh, yeah." said the innocent little reaper.

"And while our fusions have been pushing us along in terms of combative skill, we have not yet manifested our Semblance. Luckily, it should only be a matter of time." we answered with a fusion of annoyance and pride.

"But if Qrow is out looking for Huntsmen, then who's going to teach us?" asked Ruby.

In that moment we propelled ourselves through the air with our cane, spinning counterclockwise into a barrel roll before landing on the armchair, twirling both our cane and our sword, a prideful smirk on our face at the look of surprise and awe on our friends' faces.

"Well, we were the headmaster of Beacon Academy. We have approximately one month before classes resume at Haven. If Salem were to plan an attack, it would make sense that it would occur prior to the students' return. It's not MUCH time, but it is better than nothing. Just don't expect us to go easy on you, with Jaune's immense Aura levels and Ozpin's skill, we'd say you have your work cut out for you."

We smirked at their determined eyes, fully prepared for their intense training as we swiftly sheathed our weapons and crossed our arms.

"Then let's begin."


	7. Calm Before The Storm

**Greetings everyone and welcome to the 7th Chapter of "The Knight & The Wizard." This one will be kind of a cluster of Episodes 4, 5, The end of 6, & 7 of Volume 5, due to the POV jumping around between characters and as this is a story that focuses on Jaune and Ozpin this will mainly be focused on them. And as such expect a long chapter with slight changes.**

 **Also please be aware that the timeline in this chapter will be a bit...off. This is because the actual show doesn't provide a clear idea on how time progresses in the show. So I'm pretty much winging it at this point.**

 **Make sure to favorite, follow, and leave a review and check out my other stories.**

 **Now, onward!**

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Chapter Seven

...4 Weeks Until Haven's Downfall...

Four weeks.

That was the limited amount time we had to prepare for Salem's attack on Haven Academy. And truth be told, we were a long way from facing against any of Salem's forces.

While Ozpin and I have been succeeding due to our multiple fusions, it is still an exhausting experience when we're in a prolong state. I guess you could say it's like holding your breath to appear fit; it will only last for as long as you can hold your breath.

As for the others, Nora has been training with Ren on meditation, which I never once thought I'd ever see, and Ruby has been training with Ozpin and I on hand-to-hand combat, something of which I am glad Pyrrha and I had previously worked on after numerous time of being disarmed during training.

 _"Mr. Arc?"_ asked the disembodied voice of Beacon's own deceased headmaster, Ozpin.

 _"Not now, Ozpin. I'm trying to focus."_ I answered back, ducking under a straight right from Ruby and taking a step back, gripping her wrist and tugging her towards me just in time to sweep my leg out from under her, sending her toppling to the ground.

And I swear I could see the little stars and beowolves swirling around her head out of dizziness, the sight of it nearly causing me to chuckle as I reached down to grasp her hand.

Only to see her smirk just before landing an uppercut to my jaw, sending me flying back a bit and causing Ruby to begin cheering in victory.

"Ha! Yes! I did it! In your face Jaune!" she exclaimed out excitement, hopping in place.

 _"Mr. Arc, you forgot to engage your Aura, again."_ said the annoying voice in my head, causing me to grumble quietly.

 _"Really? I had no idea! Oh please, Mr. Magical Wizard, do tell me as to why you didn't tell me this sooner?!"_ I mentally shouted.

 _"Because this method makes you less likely to forget...And I find it humorous to watch."_ replied the trolling wizard.

 _"I hate you...So much."_ I mentally cursed.

 _"You must remember, Mr. Arc, that your Aura is not only meant for offensive means. It is also the only defensive quality that most people have in their possession. It is-"_

 _"It's like a forcefield. I get it, I've already had "the talk" with Pyrrha. I don't need you reminding me."_ I replied, cutting him off before he could continue.

Just like I had said before, I already knew that basics behind Aura and it's properties. It was the energy projected from our souls and when mastered could be used in a variety of ways, including enhancing our bodies to their max or defending against an opponent's blows. I had already had this conversation with Pyrrha and it only made me madder hearing it from Ozpin.

Tired of feeling the ground beneath me, I slowly pushed myself back up to my feet, still seeing Ruby cheerfully excited over her win. Even without her weapon, Ruby was no pushover when it came to hand-to-hand.

"Good hit, Ruby." I complimented, seeing her wave it off with a smile and red cheeks. "But let's see how you do against the two of us." I smirk a bit at her widened eyes and shaking legs as Ozpin and I merged once more.

"Oh, ha, well, maybe we should uh...take a break first." she attempted to say before we decided to cut her off, throwing a barrage of straights at her face. Thankfully, she reacted quickly, going on the defensive. But with our combined combative knowledge, we found a way past her defenses, landing a solid punch to her face, the force knocking her back a fair bit. But we weren't about to give her a chance to breathe as we closed the gap with a leap, landing a kick to her face, sending her sprawling on the ground before regaining her stance and throwing a left cross. To which we effortlessly duck before retaliating with a headbutt to her chin, knocking her down to the ground and causing both Nora and Ren wince at the sight.

"Ouch" said Nora, watching the fight from the side.

Slowly, we walked over to Ruby's lying form, smiling at her defeat.

"The next time you wish to throw left cross, remember to push off with the appropriate foot. And always be aware of any openings. Both your own and your opponent's." we spoke aloud, smiling as she raised a shaking thumbs up into the air.

"Gooooot it." She replied, letting her hand fall to the ground just as we defused, causing me to bench over, panting a bit and catching Ruby's worried attention. "Oh! Hey. Are you okay, Jaune? You're not gonna pass out again, are you?" she asked jokingly, but I could tell she was genuinely worried about me.

"Yeah, I'm alright Ruby. Just these fusions with Ozpin are getting exhausting." I admitted.

"That no surprise. After all, it's not everyday a person's soul is merged with another's. It would stand to reason that your body isn't quite ready to host both of your souls at once. Speaking of which, do you know just how long you can remain in your combined state?"asked Ren, raising a very good question.

 _"Due to your immense pool of Aura as well as the number of repeated fusions we've been able to accomplish, it is possible to remain in our combined state for a period of 15 minutes. Though it could be extended as we progressively use my own supply of Aura, which I might remind you is severely lacking due to my previous reincarnations."_ answered Ozpin with me relaying his words back to the others.

"Regardless, perhaps it is time we begun training on unlocking your semblance." said Ren before being cut off by a hyperactive Nora.

"Yeah! Who knows what kind of semblance you could have! Maybe it's super speed like Ruby or control over an element like me or even being a ninja like Ren! The possibilities are endless!" she finally shouted into the sky.

"Ninja? Ren?" asked Ruby.

"Uh, doi! Of course he's a ninja. The guy can sneak past Grimm like a freaking ninja, therefore he's a ninja. Nuff said." Nora finished.

"A common philosophy is that a warrior's semblance is a part of who they are. Some say your personality and character can define your Semblance while others claim that it is the other way around. There are still many who don't see a connection at all." said Ren.

"It's hard to know when YOU know sometimes. Ren's Semblance was unlocked from intense stress." said Nora.

"And mine kicked in during training one day...Not a fun day." spoke Ruby.

"What about you Nora? You never told us how your Semblance unlocked." I said aloud.

"Oh, I got struck by lightning. Didn't die. Craaazy Thursday. Nearly gave Ren a heart attack." said Nora.

Struck by lightning and walked it off like it was nothing.

Why does that not surprise me?

Oh yeah, because it's Nora.

And while I knew they were trying to cheer me up over my lack of a Semblance, I couldn't help but feel down about it.

"But I just don't understand what's wrong with me. I train constantly. I meditate for hours on end. And I've been in more stressful situations than I know what to do with." I said, hanging my head and staring at the ground as the others remained quiet.

 _"Do not worry, Mr. Arc. I am sure that you will discover your Semblance before you know it. Besides-"_ said Ozpin before merging with me again. "-Our journey is far from over. And that goes for all of us. Unlocking your Semblance isn't the end. It can still grow and evolve. Providing you're willing to put in the work. And who knows what could happen in the future." we spoke aloud, smiling at our own words as we watch Ruby smile with glee and determination.

"Then let's get back to it." said a cheerful Ruby Rose.

...1 Week Until Haven's Downfall...

Three weeks had passed us by and we were still hard at work for training.

And not to brag or nothing but I had to admit that we had made great stride in our respected training.

Ren could now go for extended periods without tiring out his stamina, something that I had once beaten him during our own training sessions. Nora was able to harness the explosive power of her semblance for short bursts of speed and strength. And Ruby had made leaps and bounds during her hand-to-hand combat training.

As for myself, well, I was still currently working on mastering Ozpin's cane alongside my own sword in the training room.

It wasn't until I heard the voice of Ruby that I decided to stop, letting out short ragged breathes from exhaustion.

"Hey, Jaune. Still practicing?" she asked aloud, taking her steps down the stairs and onto the training room floor. "Are you feeling hungry? Ren's cooking some dinner right now."

"Yeah. That sounds pretty good. I was about to call it a night anyway." I answered closing the cane in my hand and hooking it to my belt loop.

"You looked like a natural with Ozpin's cane. How is it?" she asked, glancing at the pommel of the cane.

"It's definitely strange. I've only used this cane during our fusions but...it feels like I've had it for years. Maybe even longer. Guess it's due to our fusion that it feels so natural, huh?" I asked, smiling a small bit.

"Yeah, who knows maybe you'll be so great at it that you won't even need your sword or shield..." she mistakenly said, growing a small frown as she turns to walk back upstairs. "We'll see you upstairs-"

"How do you handle all of this?" I asked aloud, stopping her progress.

"What do you mean?" she asks, though I knew she understood what I meant.

"You were there alongside us during the fall of Beacon...When Pyrrha and Penny died in front of us...When the people we had thought were our friends betrayed us. And yet you're still moving forward, you're still fighting. How?" I finally asked, releasing all of my pent-up emotions.

"We all went to Beacon because we wanted to help people. We knew the risks that came with it and we knew that every fight could be our last. We just have to press on and hope-"

"Hope for what?! People have tried to kill us! The world's about to go to war! Salem wants both of us dead! And to add insult to injury we're nowhere near ready to protect Haven! How are you okay with any of this?!" I shouted, releasing my anger at the world directly at her.

"When Beacon fell, we lost two of our friends. And even if I didn't know them for very long, that doesn't change the fact that they were two of the most kindhearted people I've ever met. But it didn't change a damn thing. Pyrrha believed that even if there was a slight chance at helping someone then it was a chance worth taking. But because of that she died fighting against someone she couldn't beat. And Penny...Penny was killed to make a statement." she finished.

"Ruby. I-I'm so sor-"

"I'm scared, Jaune. But not just for me. What happened at Beacon shows that Salem doesn't care if you're standing against her of not. She'll kill anybody, and THAT scares me most of all. Pyrrha...Penny... I'd be lying if I said that it doesn't hurt, that I didn't think about them every day since we lost them, that I didn't wish I had spent more time with them. If it had been me instead, I know they would've kept fighting too, no matter how dangerous it was. So, that's why I chose to keep moving forward. And that's why I know you feel the same way."

"Ruby..."

"No, let me say it. Jaune, you're so much more than you realize. I know it, Ozpin knows it, and so did Pyrrha. You hide your guilt behind a mask but we know the truth Jaune. You blame yourself for not being strong enough, smart enough, or fast enough. Well I'm here to tell you that you're not alone. We all feel guilty over Beacon and everyone that died. But we can't let it stop us from continuing in their place. We have to stop Salem. We have to protect Haven. Because for once...We're not alone. Not as long as we have each other." she said, smiling a bit before closing the gap and placing a soft kiss on my right cheek.

The action catching me by surprise as I stood motionless, watching her walk back towards the stairs, holding my cheek.

"Hey Jaune? This isn't gonna be easy, but the fact that you're still trying says a lot about you...It's one of the reason I like about you." she said, flashing that adorable smile as she walked back upstairs.

"She's really amazing, isn't she?" I asked myself aloud, forgetting about Ozpin's presence for a moment before he voiced his opinion.

 _"In some ways, yes. In others...no. She has her quirks and her faults, just like everyone else. But she also possessed something unquantifiable: a spark, that can inspire others even in the darkest of times. Much like yourself, Mr. Arc."_ said Ozpin.

"Yeah...But it doesn't make it any easier..." I said aloud, walking towards the stairs and out of the training room as the voice of Ozpin spoke once more.

 _"No, Mr. Arc. It certainly doesn't."_ said Ozpin as we traversed the stairway to the dinning room.

The sweet, salty smell of noodles filled our nostrils as we watched both Ren and Ruby in the kitchen cooking while Nora was cutting up a few carrots, only to devour a few slices. So that left setting the table to me, which I was able to complete just in time for Ren to announce the start of dinner.

"Alright, the first batch is just about done." he announced followed by an cheerful shout from Ruby.

"Awesome! Now we just need Qrow and we'll be all set."

"Do you really think he's gonna bring that many people? This is a lot of food after all." said the hyperactive, lightning in a bottle, Nora, still chomping down on the few slices of carrots she had taken.

"Uh, I don't know, but it sounds like we could use all the help we can get." said Ruby, just as the sound of a closing door and Qrow's voice rang through the house.

"I'm back!" he shoutingly announced.

"Be right there!" Ruby shouted back, unaware to the food she was burning but Ren noticed and attempted to make it known.

"You're going to overcook that." said Ren only for Ruby to wave it off nonchalantly.

"No, I'm not, shut up!" she shouted back, not worried at all about the fire hazard she was cooking up as Qrow made his appearance known once more.

"Hey, uh, Ruby?" he asked aloud.

"i'm coming!" she shouted back only to finally notice the smoke coming off of the pan she was cooking with, irritating her as she handed the pan to Ren. "Fine! You take over." Before grabbing a nearby tea tray and walking towards Qrow's location. "So, we didn't know how many people were coming, so we just cooked all of it." she began to say as her eyes lifted to see not just her Uncle Qrow but her sister, Yang, and her teammate, Weiss, causing her drop the tea tray out of shock. "Yang, I...I'm so sorry! I-I should've stayed, and I should've talked to you more! I'd...I just...I wasn't sure if you wanted me around and-" But the sounds of her quivering words were drowned out by a surprise hug from Yang.

"I love you." said Yang as tears streamed from her eyes.

A soft sob escaped Ruby's own lips as she leaned into the hug.

"I love you too." she said back through soft sobs before noticing her partner standing off to the side alone. "Weiss." she said, motioning for her to join them.

And join them she did as she eagerly joined the two of them in a tight embrace as the rest of us watched on with smiles as Team RWBY was a third of way complete.

It was certainly going to be a very, very, interesting dinner.

After a few minutes of most of a Team RWBY playing catch up, we all sat back down at the table to eat our noodles as we regaled them with our journey through Anima. With Yang finding it especially funny over me losing our only map at the beginning of our journey.

"How do you lose your map at a time like that?" she asked through her own laughter.

But I couldn't find it in myself to be angry as I, too, found it a bit humorous.

"Believe me, I've asked myself the same thing ever since." I replied, laughing alongside the others before Nore gave her own few cents in.

"Hey, but you made up for it, Mr. Muscles! You shoulda seen this guy take a giant Grimm head on!" she exclaimed.

"I couldn't have done without Ruby wearing it down." I said, passing the victory over to Ruby.

"Uh, me? Did you see Ren during that fight? He was out of control!" shouted the excited Ruby, passing it to Ren.

"I'm sorry, I may have lost my temper momentarily." said Ren, looking a little embarrassed before Ruby corrected herself.

"No, no! Out of control as in "awesome"!" she finally exclaimed.

"Ooooohhh...Well, thank you." said Ren, smiling as the rest of us laughed aloud.

The conversation then shifted over to Weiss and her days back in Atlas and having accidentally used her summoning against a trophy wife, who was talking smack about Beacon and Vale. The story causing Ruby to gasp loudly in surprise.

"You did not!" she denied as Weiss attempted to hide herself in her hands.

"Yeah, right in the middle of the party." she replied, confessing to the altercation.

"Please tell me you let that lady have it." Yang begged, hoping to hear about justice charging into the trophy wife.

"Of course not! Even if I did really want to." admitted Weiss, smiling at the memory.

But unfortunately not everyone believed her tale as Nora crossed her arms with a skeptical look on her face. "No way, I don't believe it."

This skepticism couldn't go unanswered as Weiss summoned the very same Boarbatusk right next to Nora, growling and causing Nora to yelp in surprise while the rest of laughed.

As dinner nearly finished, Yang had decided to show off her robotic prosthetic arm to the rest of us. It's sleek and stylish design. It's many hidden features. And it's built-in weapon system, amazed all of us.

"It's not a replacement for the real thing, but I'll make sure to make good use of it." said Yang.

"That's amazing." I said, watching it's shining metal.

"Incredible." Ren agreed.

But it was Ruby, who was left starry-eyed at the prosthetic's design, holding it aloft in order to admire it further. "And it's just as strong?" she finally asked, causing Yang to smirk.

"Hm, sure is." she bragged when suddenly a loud bang on the table caught out attention. It seemed that Nora wanted to test that little theory of Yang's as she wore a proud and smug smirk on her face.

"Wanna bet?" she asked as the competitive fire in Yang was lit.

Only Weiss was left as the rest of us watched the arm wrestle with excitement.

"Don't let her beat you! You can do it! Come on!" I cheered for my ginger-haired teammate as Ren joined along.

"You can do this! Show 'em what Team JNPR's made of!" he shouted along.

But Yang had her own cheering team in the form of her sister, Ruby.

"C'mon, sis! You can't lose to a girl in a skirt!" she shouted, only for Weiss to rain on her parade with the truth.

"Need I remind you that YOU wear a skirt, Ruby?" asked Weiss.

But Ruby would not be deterred as she pointed out, "Weiss, you're not cheering loud enough!" shouted Ruby, shaking her frowning teammate.

Meanwhile, the two juggernauts were still at war with one another.

"It definitely feels like the original, I'll give you that!" admitted Nora, feeling impressed with how Yang's robotic arm was holding up.

"Yep. But, it does have some new features!" she announced, gaining Nora's curiosity.

"Heh, oh yeah?" she mistakenly answered as small chirps and clips came from Yang's arm before suddenly detaching and sending Nora flying back into the wall, still holding her disembodied arm in her hand while Yang watched on with a smug grin.

"Did she...win?" I asked aloud, feeling confused over who had actually won.

As Nora came to, she began to realize that she was still holding Yang's robotic arm, causing her to yelp and throw it into the air, only to be caught by a laughing Yang.

Finally, came the end of dinner and unfortunately, it was my turn to do the dishes...All of them. And by all that was holy with this world why...why did we eat all of it?

"Gyah...We ate it all..." I struggled to say as the sight of leftover food in various bowls nearly caused me to puke. "Oh, I think I'm gonna be sick..." I say, gagging slightly as Yang decided to add insult to my injury.

"Easy there, Vomit Boy. I believe in you." joked Yang, laughing at my expense.

"Oh, we're doing nickname throwbacks now. Wonderful..." I said, carrying the dishes back into the kitchen to wash them, leaving the conversation.

It was nice being able to openly joke with everyone again and to see them all smile, especially Ruby. No longer did I have to see her weak smile and could now enjoy the bright, warmth of her real smile.

 _"Miss Rose is certainly a rare one in this day and age. Not many can shine as brightly as her. But I no doubt know you've already taken notice of this."_ said Ozpin, reminding me of the kiss she placed on my cheek, causing me to blush red.

 _"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just happy to see her happy, nothing wrong with that."_ I mentally argued.

 _"There's nothing wrong with that. Wanting to see a cute girl's smile can brighten anyone's darkest hour."_ he answered back.

 _"Exactly. There's is nothing wrong with wanting to see Ruby's cute smile."_ I mentally said, feeling quite proud...That is until I heard the telltale sound of Ozpin's smirk. _"I hate you."_ I cursed again before walking back to join the conversation just in time to hear Ruby mention our second day at Beacon.

"Heh, you? I tried to 1v1 a Nevermore on the second day of school." exclaimed Ruby.

"Yeah, well...don't even get me started." I said aloud, taking my place at the table.

"Well that embarrassment...That desire to go back and tell yourself not to be so stupid...that just proves you're not the same person you used to be. You're smarter, you're kinder, you're stronger, and you're not done growing yet. None of us are." spoke the team's main philosopher.

 _"True words from a boy wiser than his age."_ said Ozpin.

"Yeah, turns out Ren gets real deep when he feels like talking." said Ruby, causing the rest of us to chuckle at Ren's expense.

"Well, hold on, I thought I was pretty great in school!" exclaimed Nora.

"Even at the dance? When you spilled punch all over yourself in front of-" Yang started before being cut off by Nora's hand.

"Yes, especially the dance! Thank you, Yang!" she shouted, causing Yang to cover her ears when suddenly Qrow shouts.

"How can six kids possibly make so much noise eating dinner?!" he shouted as he walked into the dinning room with a serious look on his face. "Hey Spellsword, have you told them yet?" he asked looking directly at me and causing both Yang and Weiss to look at me too.

"Spellsword?" asked Yang.

And while I had wished the relaxation could continue, I knew that it was time to tell Yang and Weiss what had happened during our journey through Anima. So, after clearing the table for leftovers we all relocated towards the main living area and taking our seats.

"What I'm about to tell you is difficult to explain...So I'll just let him say it himself." I spoke.

"Him, who?" asked Weiss.

Slowly, I released a deep breathe as both Ozpin and I merged once again. A soft green shimmer encompassing our body and as our eyes opened, we couldn't help but smile at their looks of confusion.

"Hello, Miss Schnee, Miss Xiao Long. Perhaps it is time we explained ourselves." we spoke seeing their eyes widen in surprise.

After several minutes, we had finished our tale our reincarnation and of our past as the Headmaster of Beacon Academy. Though the look of surprise was withheld, no doubt learning of most of the information from Yang's own mother, Raven.

"You're telling us that Jaune, is the reincarnation of an ancient wizard and that wizard is Professor Ozpin, our once-thought-dead headmaster? And that the Maidens, Magic, and Salem are all true?" asked Weiss, not quite believing her own words.

"Uh-huh." answered Qrow.

"Miss Xiao Long, is this more or less what your mother told you?" we asked her, seeing her refusal to answer.

"For the most part. But you forgot something. You forgot to tell everyone what you did to Qrow and my mother." she spoke, causing Ruby to gasp aloud and Qrow to sigh from annoyance.

"Oh, great." said an annoyed Qrow.

To be honest, we were quite surprised over Raven's openness about her ability.

"Hm, that's not a secret I thought she'd give up so easily. Your mother must trust you a great deal." we spoke but our words gained Yang's ire as she scowled at us, so instead we chose to continue. "My ability to reincarnate, though a curse, isn't without a few a key benefits. Much like the Maidens, I too possess a certain..."magical" power. Using this power, I was able to gift the Branwen twins the ability to "see" more, to move freely and be unburdened by their natural bodies. I...well...gave them the ability to turn into birds. Rather ridiculous sounding out loud, isn't it?" we asked aloud, chuckling at our inside joke.

Ruby turned to her uncle with worried eyes. "Uncle?"

"You turned them...into birds." said Ren, not believing us.

"Alright, now you're just messing with us." stated Nora.

"Believe me, Nora. I almost can't believe it myself and I'm merged with Ozpin." we said, groaning and holding our head in pain as Qrow held our shoulder. "We're fine...Thank you, Qrow."

"What's wrong?" asked Weiss.

"What Jaune and Ozpin are experiencing is a form of fusion. A process that requires us to be 100 percent synced in both body, mind, and spirit, lest we diffuse and cause harm to our physical, mental, and spiritual forms." we answered finally reaching at a peaceful state.

"Why would you do that? I mean, what is wrong with you? First you drag my mom and Qrow into this mess and now Jaune?" asked Yang, releasing her anger.

But Qrow wouldn't have it as he stepped in. "Yang, that's enough! While I can't say the same for our resident Spellsword, Raven and I made a choice. We wanted this."

Slowly, Yang quelled her anger and relented, sitting back in her chair. We turned to look at Qrow, motioning for him to step back, to which he nodded.

"Granting this power to them was no trivial task, and we can assure you it was not done frivolously. we required assistance in gathering information on Salem's plans, as well as searching for the Maidens when their hosts became unclear." we finished, holding our cup of black coffee. "As for Jaune...We had very little choice in the host of Ozpin's reincarnation. And we will admit that there is still some troubled waters between the two of them as Jaune still holds a grudge against Ozpin but he is willing to hold his aggression back until we've dealt with Salem once and for all."

"Okay, so, have you done this with others? Like General Ironwood? Or Professor Goodwtich?" asked Ruby, bringing up a good point.

"As helpful as that might be, unfortunately it is not as simple as that. Out power is finite, and if we're being honest, dwindling. The amount that we gifted to Qrow and Raven was, all things considered, rather minuscule. You see, centuries ago, we sacrificed a great deal of magic to four young women, who we hoped would use our gift for good. They were the first Maidens. Miss Xiao Long, it was never our intention to lie to you. To any of you. There are just some matters that we prefer to..."play close to the chest". That's how you phrased it, correct Qrow?" we asked our drunken associate gaining a chuckle and a nod. "Everyone has a choice. The Branwens chose to accept their powers and the responsibilities that came with them. And later, one of them chose to abandon her duties in favor of her own self-interests. Now, all of you have a choice. If anyone wishes to leave, now is the time. There's no shame or disgrace in abstaining, only in retreat." we finished as silence filled the room when suddenly Yang stood from her chair, Ruby watching her in disbelief.

"If Ruby sticks around, then I will too. If there's one thing I know about her, it's that she somehow always knows the right thing to do." said Yang, smiling at her little sister. "But, if we're going to help, if we're going to keep risking our lives, no more lies and no more half-truths." she finished staring into our eyes with determination and stubbornness. she would not be moved from her decision and we couldn't help but respect her proposal.

"Understood." we replied, causing Yang to take her seat.

"So...what now? I mean, what can we do?" asked Ruby.

"Mm, that is a difficult question. One that I believe is best answered tomorrow." we replied.

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked again.

"The road ahead is undoubtedly filled with hardships and peril. However, it's been far too long since we've all been together." we say, placing our hand on Yang's shoulder in solidarity. "Please, take tonight, enjoy this moment." we finished as our fusion ended and I had to nervously take my hand off of Yang's shoulder, causing her and Weiss to laugh...That is until Nora suddenly released a gasp.

"Oooohhh. Raven? Qrow? They're birds! Cracked it!" she exclaimed in excitement as Ren shook his head, covering his face with his palm at Nora's slow uptake while the rest of us laughed.

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 **Well, well, what do we have here? Are we getting into some prime story-driven plots? And what's that little kiss from our little Rosey Grimm Reaper? Was it a friendly kiss between friends or was it something more? Will Jaune learn to forgive himself for Pyrrha's death or will it consume him? And what about the relationship between Ozpin and Jaune? Will they be able to make amends or will the dark past of the wizard finally break the knight of his spirit? All that and more will be decided on the next chapter of "The Knight & The Wizard" along with a special announcement.**

 **Check back next sunday for the next chapter on "Gun X RWBY."**

 **Till next time!**


	8. Downfall

**Greetings everyone!**

 **So, unfortunate news, if you've already Followed and Favorited my other story "Phony Talks" then you've already been made aware that recently my laptop decided it didn't love me anymore and decided to randomly off itself. In response to this incident, I've already prepared several chapters for my other stories ahead of schedule in case I am unable to get the laptop fixed. Worst case scenario, I need to get a new laptop and push back the release dates on my updates. But, hopefully it doesn't come to that.**

 **The only reason, I'm even able to type these stories up and update them is because a friend of mine is letting me borrow their computer. So everyone make sure to say thanks to my friend because if it wasn't for them, I'd never be able to finish up my work ahead of schedule.**

 **As such, I've decided to let you guys decide on how I should go about this. Should I...**

 **A. Release ALL completed chapters ahead of their scheduled release dates. Keep in mind that this would mean that you guys may have to wait until May 7th to get back on normal schedule.**

 **Or.**

 **B. Release the completed chapters on their scheduled release dates in order to avoid long wait periods and schedule confusions via other outlets; ie. Smart Phone, Library Computer, & Friends'/Family's personal computers.**

 **Once you've decided, let me know in either a PM or a review for this story.**

 **Oh, and don't forget to check the bottom for additional information.**

 **Make sure to Favorite, Follow, and leave a Review**

 **Next Scheduled Releases:**

 **April 29th - "Gun X RWBY - Ch. 02" and "The Master Huntsman - Ch. 15"**

 **Other than that, nothing new to add.**

 **Till next time!**

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Chapter Eight

It was time.

After several weeks of planning and training till even our own Aura was exhausted, we were finally ready for Salem's assault on Haven Academy, which would begin in exactly three days time.

Or so we thought.

At exactly 8:45 PM, we were called in by the Lion of Haven, Professor Leonardo Lionheart. But the underlying tone of his voice sounded strange, almost guilty. Reluctantly and at the behest of both Qrow and Ozpin, we gathered our equipment and readied ourselves for any surprise that might await us. Call it paranoia, call it assumption, hell, call it a goddamn guess, but I knew, we knew, that this surprise meeting with Professor Lionheart was going to be anything but peaceful.

Sighing, I tightened my grip on the handle of my sword. Ozpin's cane being kept hidden behind me and locked on the waist hem of my jeans. My instincts screaming at me as I sensed several strange Auras using Ozpin's inherent knowledge over Aura.

Even if I held a grudge for the wizard, I had to admit that without him and his knowledge, I'd be little more than a gnat, buzzing around and annoying everyone and everything and just generally being a nuisance to all. But with Ozpin's skills and techniques, I was at least on par with the others in terms of combative abilities. Heck, I'd even go so far as to say I've even managed to beat Yang in a sparring match. Granted, it WAS a sparring match and she didn't use her Semblance, saying she didn't want to have to rely on it. But I still count it.

Nonetheless, I was finally on the same level as my friends, who've been training since childhood to become heroes.

And now it was time to put my money where my mouth was.

My blue eyes glanced up at the broken full moon that illuminated the velvet night sky above the academy before placing my view on the back of Qrow Branwen, who had become something of a mentor/guy I want to punch half the times, leading us towards the main building of Haven.

We pushed open the doors of the building and walked out onto the main atrium, where we were greeted by the sight of Leonardo, standing atop of the terrace at the top of the stairs and below it was the statue of beautiful marbled woman.

Leonardo's eyes widened at the sight of us, no doubt seeing the new additions to the group, before calming himself. "Why, hello. Thank you all for... coming." he said nervously. "There... seems to be more of you than last time." said Leonardo, releasing a nervous chuckle.

Glancing over at Qrow, I noticed how his shoulders seemed to tense up but managed to relax himself to appear believable. "Eh, you know what they say, "The more, the merrier." So, what's going on with the council?" asked Qrow.

I watched as the nervous eyes of Leonardo roamed over each of our weapons and armor, shaking with each glance.

"Why... did you bring your weapons?" he asked, confusing not only himself but Qrow as well.

"What? Leo, we're Huntsmen. You feeling okay?" asked Qrow, prodding the already nervous Leonardo.

"Of course! Of course, apologies. Just haven't had my evening coffee." said Leonardo.

But to the rest of us, we knew he was lying through his fangs. Lionheart was nervous, shaking, and his eyes seemed to glance around at his surroundings.

"Look, it's nice to see you, but we've got work to do. Are we getting support from the council or not?" asked Qrow, growing more and more irritated over Leonardo's nervousness.

The rest of us, glanced around our surroundings, looking into the rafters and corners of the room for any strange sightings. It wasn't until my eyes landed upon a black bird perched on a balcony railing that I felt my instincts go haywire and judging by Yang's own widened eyes at the sight of the black bird, she, too, felt something strange in the air.

"Mom?" asked Yang, gaining everyone's attention as they all turned their eyes toward the black bird with Qrow's own eyes widening in shock before unsheathing his weapon and firing at the bird just as it flies away and behind Leonardo, transforming into the mysterious raven-haired Huntress, Raven Branwen, sister of Qrow and mother of Yang.

Our eyes widened at the sight of her, her carmine-red armor, her nevermore-inspired mask, and her weapon all shouted out intimidation.

"Raven..." muttered Ruby, clenching her fists together while Nora looked on in surprise and amazement.

"They... They really can turn into birds." the hammer-wielder muttered.

We watched as the bandit Huntress, removed the nevermore mask from her face, revealing a familiar face. Raven was the spitting image of her daughter, Yang. But while Yang's eyes were red when she was angry, Raven's eyes were drowned in a see of bloodshed and horror. But here, she seemed almost annoyed at her brother, Qrow.

"If you're going to shoot me, shoot me. That was insulting." said Raven.

"What are you doing here?!" shouted Qrow, his grip on his weapon tightening at the sight of her.

At his words, Raven seemed to smirk, almost tauntingly at him. "I could ask you the same thing. You've been scheming, little brother. Planning to attack your own sister." said Raven, her smirk still present as she walked down the steps towards us. A frantic Qrow then turned his gaze on the shaking form of Leonardo.

"Leo... What have you done?!" he shouted at him, a sens of betrayal once again descending upon us as another person, we had thought to be our ally in this endeavor is revealed to be yet another backstabber.

"I..." Leonardo attempted to say before being cut off by Raven.

"Leo did what any sane person would in his position - he looked at all the information he had in front of him, assessed the situation, and made a choice. And it seems you all have too." said Raven, her red eyes wandering over each of us but lingering on Yang while Qrow only continued to grow more and more angry at his supposed family.

"You have the Spring Maiden." he growled angrily while Raven smirked victoriously.

"I do." she replied.

And Qrow in a last ditch effort to turn the sister he once knew back onto the right path reached out to her.

"Then hand her over and let's work together! We can beat Salem!" he shouted.

But a shake from Raven gave him his reply.

"All that time spent spying for Ozpin and you still have no idea what you're dealing with. There IS no beating Salem!" she shouted back, angrily.

And for a moment, I almost agreed with her. Despite, Ozpin's words and glimpses of hope, they were all soon dashed away by the harshness of reality. What was the point in trying to defeat something that has never been defeated? What was the point in continuing to fight if at the end of the day, we lose more than we had?

But once again, the heroic, innocent voice of Ruby dragged me from that sea of black and brought me to the light.

"You're wrong. We've done things that most people would call impossible, and I know the only reason we were able to do it is because we didn't do it alone! We had people to teach us, people to help us, we had each other. Work with us. At least I know we'll have a better chance if we try together. Please." Ruby pleaded, her silver eyes shining brightly with hope despite the situation, holding out her hand to Raven.

But instead, the heavy hand of reality came crashing down on our hope as the red eyes of Raven glared at the pale white hand of Ruby.

"You sound just like your mother." said Raven, suddenly drawing her weapon and slicing the air behind her, cutting a hole into space and time and creating a portal when a massive fireball escapes from the portal and hits Ruby in her chest, the force sending her flying back several feet.

A look of shock donned on our faces but none more so than Yang as she quickly rushed over to her baby sister.

"Ruby!" she shouted in worry, rushing to her sister's aid while the rest of us watched as another familiar face exited the portal with three others in tow. The sight of her red dress and ash-like hair filling me with absolute rage.

"Cinder..." I muttered, glaring at the woman who ended the greatest year of my life and took my love away from me.

The annoying smirk of Mercury only fueled the fire that burned within each of us.

"C'mon guys, is that any way to greet your old friends?" he asked jokingly, smirking that asshole smirk the entire time.

The sound of Yang's growl being a catalyst for our rage as she, too, glared at the smug asshole, Mercury.

Only Qrow remained as the voice of caution.

"Everybody, stay calm." said Qrow but the rest of us only grown more angry with each passing minute.

But suddenly a strange feeling in the back of my mind sent my instincts wild again. Looking over my shoulder, I see the hazel eyes of a massive muscular man walk through the double doors of Haven.

 _"Oh no..."_ said Ozpin, at the sight of the man as several memories involving the stranger filled my head.

I knew this stranger. He was from Ozpin's past. His name was Hazel Rainart, brother of Gretchen Rainart. She died because of me... Ozpin. And judging by Hazel's look, I could only guess that this surprise meeting wasn't to make up for lost time.

"The White Fang is prepping demolition and securing the school grounds. No one's getting in, and no one's getting out." said Hazel, simultaneously answering my question and causing my confusion.

The White Fang were here. The Attack on Haven wasn't supposed to begin until the end of the week. Salem must've rallied her forces in her haste to take over Haven Academy.

"This was all just a trap?" asked Weiss, realizing the predicament of our current situation.

"It appears so..." muttered Ren.

"Raven, tell me... How long have you been with them?" asked Qrow but instead getting his answer from the mouth of Cinder Fall, who spoke with a smug and mocking tone.

"Aww, don't take it personally, little bird. Your sister was a recent addition. The lion on the other hand... entrance into the Vytal Festival was a real treat. Leonardo's been sending Salem all sorts of information for a very, VERY long time. Isn't that right, professor?" asked Cinder, smirking at the guilty eyes of Leonardo, who looked away in shame.

"Stop it..." he pathetically pleaded and fueling Qrow's already growing anger.

"It was you! You sit on the Mistral Council. You had information on every Huntsman and Huntress in the Kingdom, and you gave it all to her?!" shouted Qrow.

"I-" the cowardly lion attempted to make an excuse but was cut off by a pissed-off Qrow.

"I couldn't find any of them, because you let her kill them!" Qrow shouted, his words cutting like a knife into the already weakened, guilty heart of Leonardo while a feeling of guilt and betrayal filled my heart.

How could Leo betray us?

"Aw now, don't beat yourself up about it, Lionheart. I'm sure Tyrian and Hazel would've found them on their own eventually." said a mocking Cinder.

And that was the straw that finally broke the camel's back. I had had enough of her bullshit, her lies, her utter disregard for the pain she'd put us through! I was done being her whipping boy and I was done being that damsel in distress as a slowly felt the power of Ozpin's strength course through me.

 _"Mr. Arc, please, you must remain calm."_ Ozpin pleaded but I ignored his words as I continued to glare into the fiery eyes of Cinder.

"What is wrong with you?" I spoke through gritted teeth. "How can you be so broken inside... to take so many lives, and then come here and rub it in our faces like it's something to be proud of?!" I released my anger, the power of Ozpin's Aura filling my body with strength while the others watched me with sad eyes. " **ALL WITH THAT DAMN SMILE ON YOUR FACE!** " I shouted, releasing a pulse of Ozpin's Aura, the energy causing the very building around us to shake as everyone watched me with widened eyes.

"Everybody, stay calm! Spellsword, I know you're pissed off and you have every right to be but this isn't the time or the place!" shouted Qrow but much like Ozpin's words, his, too, fell on deaf ears as I continued to glare at the soulless eyes of Cinder.

"I'm going to make you pay for what you did! Do you hear me?!" I shouted at her, releasing another pulse of energy from my body.

 _"Mr. Arc! Please, if you do not stop this then you could-"_ said Ozpin just before I cut him off with another shout to the target of my rage.

"Well?! **SAY SOMETHING!** " I shouted, releasing one final pulse of energy and causing the massive glass chandelier to fall and crash onto the marbled floor behind us. My blue eyes glaring into Cinder's yellow but it was her next words that broke any semblance of rationality from me.

"Who are you again?" she asked, looking genuinely confused to hear me speak as if I knew her.

In anger, I reached for my sword and use it's newly added modification to transform it into it's two-handler form, using my aura to enhance my leg muscles and launch myself for speed ahead towards Cinder, swinging my sword down to meet her summoned weapon, an obsidian scimitar. But through the combined power of both mine and Ozpin's aura, as well as combined strength, were able to completely shatter Cinder's weapon and causing her eye to widen in shock just before I manage to grab her hand and toss her to the far right and slamming her into the wall, cracking it as the others watch in shock.

In retaliation for my surprise attack, an angry Emerald released her dual revolver sickles to attack me but found herself blocking sniper shots courtesy of Ruby.

"You're not getting near him." said Ruby and another surprise attack from Yang on Mercury further separates our group.

"Hey there, Merc. I'm thinking it's time you and me have a rematch. I've been meaning for a little payback." growled Yang, cocking her shotgun gauntlets and propelling herself forward at him, starting their rematch.

"Vernal, take out the heiress. Don't bother wasting your power, she's not worth it." said Raven to her companion, Vernal just as Qrow appeared, locking his blade with her own.

"Running away was one thing, Raven, but this... you've crossed the line!" shouted Qrow, glaring into the red eyes of his sister.

"Sorry, brother. Sometimes family disappoints you like that." said Raven, glaring back at her brother.

"We're not family anymore." said Qrow, pushing his blade further against Raven's, who managed to push back against him.

"Were we ever?" she asked, mockingly.

"I thought so, but I guess I was wrong!" he shouted as the two began their fight while Weiss was kept busy trying to block Vernal's attacks.

"Let's see what the Schnee name really means." mocked Vernal while Weiss glared on.

"I'm more than a name." said Weiss, glaring at her opponent and readying her weapon but a smug smirk from Vernal only caused Weiss to summon a glyph beneath her, projecting her forward into Vernal's radius to begin their fight.

Off on the terrace stood a frightened and cowering Leonardo, who watched the fight from above, feeling more and more guilty and ashamed as he watched his old allies fight for their lives. Meanwhile, the man named Hazel, watched with crossed arms as both Nora and Ren readied their weapons, prepared to fight against the hulking man. But despite his massive size, Hazel didn't appear to have any desire to fight with the others.

"I do not wish to fight either of you." said Hazel.

"Nor I you." replied Ren but keeping his twin pistols ready for a right.

"But we will if you're with her!" shouted Nora, hefting her massive warhammer for the fight as Hazel released a tired sigh, cracking his neck and knuckles.

"Very well, then." said Hazel as he slowly began to walk towards the two with an intimidating aura.

And out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a retreating form of Leonardo and reacting quickly threw my sword at him, catching the cloth of his suit and trapping him against the wall, my blue eyes burning with a powerful fire. "You're not going anywhere Leo!" I shouted at him as Cinder, shakily loosened herself from her place in the wall.

Leonardo struggled to get himself loose from my impaled sword. "Young man, I don't know who you are or what you're hoping to accomplish by doing this, but for both your sake as well as your friends, please escape from here. Now, before it is too late." pleaded Leonardo while I shook my head in disappointment. Once free from his entrapment, a terrified Leonardo, readies his own weapon, creating a flaming rock using dust and firing it at me. But due to my own aura it explodes and I remain unscathed by the attack. Leonardo's eyes widen in shock as I draw Ozpin's cane and causing both Leonardo's and Cinder's eyes to widen in shock.

"O-Ozpin?" asked Leonardo with widened eyes while Cinder glared at the sight of me.

"It can't be possible. I killed you!" she shouted.

"Sorry to disappoint you both but I'm not quite Ozpin... Though I can honestly say he's not at all pleased to see you again." I said, glaring at the two of them as Leonardo felt his legs shake from fear.

"This can't be... I knew you would be back, but... you made it here! You found Qrow! How?" asked Leonardo.

"How he got here matters not, Leo! All that matters is his death." glared Cinder, her hand being set ablaze with fire.

"Wait, Cinder... Ozpin couldn't possibly have had this form for long. You! Boy! You're... not REALLY Ozpin right now. You haven't been... This is perfect! If I deliver you to Salem, she'll have to be pleased with me, and I can finally be free of all of this! Cinder! We must capture this boy alive, at any cost!" exclaimed a determined Leonardo as he joined the side of Cinder, both preparing themselves for another fight.

"Ozpin, are you ready?" I asked the disembodied voice in my head as our souls merged once more and we leap over to pull our sword from the wall before facing our two opponents and launching ourselves at the two of them, dual wielding our sword and cane to block and attack them.

Meanwhile, the fight between Weiss and Vernal continues own as Weiss leaps on her glyphs, dodging Vernal's attacks before ending up on the defensive, creating a large ice wall between the two of them as she attempts to summon her familiar when suddenly a large energy beam obliterates the ice wall as well as her familiar and knocking Weiss back several feet while Vernal stands atop the destroyed ice wall with a smug look.

"Don't think I'm going to let you take the easy way out."

But while Weiss was having a hard time against Vernal, we were having an even harder time against both Leonardo and Cinder. It wasn't until we released another Aura pulse that we were able to catch our breath, feeling the exhaustion of our fusion weighing on us, something that Cinder took instant notice of and releases a chuckle from her mouth.

"I remember now, you're the dense one that can't tell when he's out of his league." said a snickering Cinder and fueling Jaune's anger towards her and causing us to grasp our head in pain.

 _"Remain calm. We must remain calm."_ we thought to ourselves. we needed to be synchronized at 100 percent or else our body would face the consequences. Struggling, we stand up once more and charge at Cinder, dodging another attack from Leonardo.

Elsewhere, the fight between Ruby and Emerald carries on with Emerald shooting her revolvers at Ruby, who using the twirling motion of her scythe to block the shots.

"why are you doing this?! Salem's-" says Ruby before being cut off by an angry Emerald.

"I don't care about Salem! But I owe Cinder EVERYTHING. You want to fight her that bad? Be my guest." says Emerald, glaring at Ruby as Ruby trips backward and accidentally fires a shot at Weiss, who's still attempting to block attacks from Vernal.

Weiss attempts to once again summon but another attack from Vernal prevents this from happening and manages to deplete Weiss's aura and causing Weiss to release a pained scream which grabs our attention but before we can do anything, a surprise attack from Leonardo pulls our attention away and lands it on Cinder, who is standing off to the side with a smug smile.

"Are you going to let her die too?" asked Cinder, smirking as the anger inside Jaune causes us to grasp our head in pain.

"Stop doing this, Miss Fall!" we shout at her, but only causing her to smirk as she ignites her scimitar with flames.

"If that's what you want..." says Cinder as she charges towards us, clashing with us but gaining the upper hand as another attack from Leonardo sends us sprawling back a few feet. Our fusion crushing our body beneath it's weighing effects as Cinder stands above us with a sinister grin when suddenly a bright light from Ruby's silver eyes engulfs the area around her, stopping Cinder's attack on us and forcefully ending our combined fusion. The light ending once Emerald knocks Ruby unconscious and Cinder is left clutching her arm in pain on her knees.

Seeing an opportunity and despite the immense pain my body was in, I grip the handle of my sword and swing it down upon her only for her to dodge it at the last minute but not before I manage to chip away at her mask. But the stress of my fusion with Ozpin trips me up as I land on the floor, breathing heavily from exhaustion until an enraged and powered-up Cinder places her heel on my chest, keeping me in place as she glares down at me with rage-filled eyes.

"Did you think you actually had a chance against me?! **YOU?!** " she shouts out, releasing her own pulse of aura. Glancing over to the sides I see my sword on my left and Ozpin's cane on my right. Cinder, after calming herself and deactivating her Maiden power, glares down at me, putting pressure on my chest with her heel. "You're just a failure with a death wish. You don't even know of the horrors you'll face due to Ozpin's actions!"

But I glare back into her eyes as I continue to struggle against her.

"If I die buying them time, then it's worth it. They're the ones that matter." I say, glaring at her and unaware of the danger I had just created due to my words as Cinder looks to my friends before smiling sinisterly at me.

"You think so?" she asks with an evil smile as Weiss gets knocked back by Vernal and conjures an obsidian spear in her hand.

My eyes widen at the sight before landing on Weiss and back to Cinder. My vision becoming blurred through tears.

"No... Please, anything. I'll do anything, just don't hurt her. Please!" I pleaded but the darkness in her eyes was my only answer to my plea as she launched the spear at Weiss, impaling her through the abdomen. A bloodied gasp escapes her mouth as the spear disintegrates and Weiss becomes motionless and slumps down onto the ground. The fighting around us being halted at the sight of Weiss, dead on the floor.

"Weiss... **WEISS!** " I shout, releasing a massive pulse of Aura that launches Cinder off of me and slamming into Leonardo, the both of them collapsing onto the floor as the others' fights are halted due to the overwhelming energy and unfortunately, catching the attention of Hazel, whose eyes widen at the sight of me using Ozpin's power.

"This power... It can't be... He's just a boy" muttered Hazel.

"That's not just a boy! It's Ozpin!" shouted Leonardo from his place on the ground. "He's already reincarnated!"

Hazel watches as I quickly rush over to Weiss's side before drifting over and spotting Ozpin's cane on the floor and moving back over to me.

"Ozpin?" said Hazel, the calm demeanor that he once had slowly crumbling away and being replaced with infuriated anger. " **OZPIN!** " Hazel shouts, grabbing my attention and causing me to look up from Weiss.

 _"Oh no... Mr. Arc, you must run away, now!"_ shouts Ozpin as he attempts to take control of my body.

The hulking mass known as Hazel slowly begins to stomp towards Weiss and I. His face engulfed with rage towards Ozpin.

"You thought you could hide from **ME?!** " he shouts, ripping his coat off, and grabbing two pairs of lightning Dust crystals from pouches on his legs. "You'll pay for what you did! You'll die over and over again!" he shouts, plunging the crystals into his shoulders, turning his blood vessels yellow and his arm muscles to bulge outward as lightning coats his forearms. His hazel eyes glowing yellow as he releases an intimidating roar and launches himself towards me only for a sudden appearance from Qrow to stop him, transforming his weapon into it's scythe form and engaging in combat.

Off to the side Leonardo, Vernal, Raven, and Cinder all approach the statue holding up the stairs as Leonardo reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a pocket watch before placing it in a small niche on the statue before the statue begins to lower below the floor. Yang, watching the event looks to Ren and I treating Weiss and Nora treating Ruby, unsure of what to do only for a shout from Nora to make up her mind.

"Stop them! We've got your team covered!" shouted Nora.

But just as Yang is about to stop the four villians, a surprise kick from Mercury sends her to the ground. The fight between Yang and Mercury is then interrupted by a surprise attack from Emerald.

"You wanna get to them? You're going to have to get through ALL of us." says Emerald, using her semblance and causing Yang to look around confused.

Meanwhile, I'm putting pressure on Weiss's wound, my hands being coated with her blood as Ren watches on.

"Ren, talk to me!" I shout at him, grabbing his attention as he checks Weiss's pulse before shaking his head in sorrow.

"This is bad, Jaune." says Ren.

My eyes widen as I continue putting pressure on Weiss's wound.

"No, no, no, no, not again! Not Weiss! C'mon, please!" I shout down at her lifeless body, tears streaming from my eyes and falling down onto her body.

 _"Mr. Arc, please... It's too late..."_ says Ozpin.

"No! I can save her! I have to!" I shouted back at him.

 _"I'm sorry, Jaune... But there are times where you can't save everyone, no matter how hard you try."_ says Ozpin, his memories becoming my own again as I see a smiling girl's face before it's replaced with a brown casket and causing me to grab my head in severe pain.

All the while Cinder, Raven, and Vernal have all taken their place on the mechanized platform, leaving only Leonardo left off. A heated glare from Cinder causes Leonardo to back away out of fear.

"Make sure they leave Ruby and Ozpin alive. This won't take long." says Cinder as the platform lowers beneath the school and Leonardo turns to watch the fighting.

 _"Jaune... Please, you can't save her."_ says Ozpin, once again trying to take control of my body in order to take me away from Weiss's side.

"No! I can help her! I know I can!" I shout back at him, not caring about Ren's ever-worrying eyes.

 _"Believe me, I wish that were true but death is not something you can prevent. It is mankind's fate to perish at the hands of Death."_ says Ozpin, his feelings of anger and sadness pouring over into my mind.

"Fuck death! I don't care if I end up dying or whatever else might happen as long as Weiss is alive!" I shout to the sky, as a white glow envelops my hands and Weiss's body. A few seconds go by when suddenly Weiss reacts with a deep gasp for air.

She was alive. Weiss was alive!

 _"I... I don't believe it..."_ says Ozpin, voicing out what was going through my own mind.

Off to the side, Ruby's eyes slowly open before widening in realization. "Weiss!" shouts Ruby as she rushed over to us and kneels down beside Weiss's side. "What happened? What's going on?!" she asks aloud as Ren checks her pulse once more, a bright smile on his face/

"I think she's going to be okay! She seems to be stabilizing." said Ren, smiling.

Ruby, seeing that Weiss was no longer in danger looks over to where her sister was fighting against both Emerald and Mercury and Qrow was facing off against Leonardo. Ruby then raises my hands up to see Weiss's closed wound, a smile growing on her face.

"Whatever you're doing, don't stop!" exclaimed Ruby before grabbing her weapon and rushing off to help her sister.

"Ren, Qrow is going to need some help with Lionheart and Hazel. I'll stay here and watch over them." commanded Nora as Ren grabs his twin pistols and rushes off.

Off to the distance, the fighting between Ruby and Yang versus Emerald and Mercury was still going on. While Yang was occupied with fighting Emerald, a swift kick from Mercury knocks Ruby's weapon from her grasp and a sarcastic smile crosses his face. "Uh oh, what're you gonna do now?" Mercury asks sarcastically, throwing a left cross only for Ruby to duck and headbutt his face the same way Ozpin taught her. The gray-haired boy stumbles back a bit, holding his nose in pain before glaring at Ruby, who picks up her weapon with a victorious smirk.

"Whatever it takes to shut you up." says Ruby.

Meanwhile, Nora continues to watch on as I pump more of my Aura into Weiss, hoping to accelerate her healing.

"You guys doing okay?" asks Nora.

"I... I think so. she's coming to. I just wish this would go faster." I say, feeling angry with myself only for hazel to speak up.

"How about you don't complain and just be thankful you unlocked your Semblance when you did." said Nora, growing annoyed with my attitude.

"My Semblance?" I ask, feeling confused as Nora placed a hand on my shoulder with a smile on her face.

"How else do you think you're healing her, dummy?" Nora jokingly asks.

But as I glance down at Weiss's still glowing body, I begin to notice that the longer I heal her the more and more my Aura is depleted as a result.

"No, I don't think I'm healing her. Our Aura heals our bodies. It feels... It feels more like I'm using my Aura to amplify hers!" I exclaim feeling amazed over my discovery over my new found Semblance. But while I was happy Nora became worrisome.

"Wait, aren't you worried about running out?" she asks, staring at the side of my head.

"Pyrrha once told me I've got a lot of it. I still believe her. And if it saves Weiss then it's worth it." I say pouring more of Aura into Weiss, to which her eyes open tirelessly and meet my own.

"Jaune? W-what happened?" asks Weiss as a tear drops from my eyes to which I wipe away and smile down at her.

"You took a heavy hit, you need to stay with me while the others fight." I command only to smile as she immediately frowns at my words.

"That's...annoying." said Weiss, sighing as she slowed her breathing while I just continue to smile at her.

"Heh, good to have you back, Weiss." I said, smiling down at her while Nora watches on until the sight of seeing Hazel use an electrically-enhanced punch to send Ren flying into a wall and causing him to scream out in pain garners her attention as her eyes widen to new levels.

"REN!" she shouts, reaching out to him but looks back at both Weiss and I, to which I look back at her with determined eyes.

"Go! I've got Weiss!" I shout to her to which she nods back before rushing off into the fight, directly towards Hazel.

The brave Valkyrie charges at the hulking monster called Hazel as she uses her Aura-enhanced legs to leap into the air, swinging her massive hammer overhead to slam into Hazel only for him to grab her weapon and slams her into the ground before grabbing her head and electrocuting her with his lightning Dust-enhanced arms, causing her to scream out in pain while glaring into my eyes.

"Hiding behind the face of a child? A monster like you must be stopped!" shouted Hazel, further sending shockwaves of electricity into Nora as her painful screams rang out. "How many more children must die for you?!" he shouts out when suddenly Nora grabs onto Hazel's wrist, causing him to glance down at her. "Huh?"

And Nora, thanks to Hazel inadvertently feeding Nora's strength due to her Semblance, stands up and flips the massive hulking man over her shoulder before holding up her warhammer defensively and Qrow, after landing beside her relays some very important information.

"Oz told me about this guy, Hazel Rainart, his Semblance can block out pain. Think of it like injecting a shit ton of adrenaline. It's how he can take injecting so much Dust into his body." said Qrow, hefting his scythe while Nora glared at the charging Hazel.

"I don't need him to hurt... I just need him to GO DOWN!" shouted Nora, swinging her hammer directly into Hazel's chest, the force of her swing launching him through the wall and subsequently outside onto Haven's quad while the rest of us watched in amazement.

 _"It's moments like this that cause me to become fearful of the next generation."_ said Ozpin, voicing out his opinion after witnessing a teenage girl smack a hulking monster through a stone wall.

 _"Least she's on our side."_ I said back to him before continuing my focus on Weiss, all the while the sounds of Mistral airships and searchlights shine through the windows to the outside and Weiss slowly begins to move herself to a sitting position.

"What's happening?" asked Weiss, looking at the searchlights and siren noises.

"I'm not sure. How are you feeling?" I asked her as I continued pouring my Aura into her body, furthering her accelerated healing.

"Better." said Weiss, raising her hand as a summoning glyph appeared on her palm and a smirk grew on her face. "MUCH better. Keep it up." she said to me as I smirked back at her and poured more of myself into her.

After a few more minutes, she then gracefully stands herself up and leaps into the middle of the room, plunging her sword into the ground as a massive summoning glyph appeared before her as a massive Queen Lancer crawled from the glyph before fluttering above Weiss and with a flick of her finger the Queen Lancer then launched it's glowing stinger outside, impaling Hazel and pulling him back inside. But before she could continue her fight the sight of a familiar black-haired Faunus caught her and her's team's attention. Their eyes widening at the sight of Blake, whose eyes widen at the sight of them before lingering on Yang.

"Yang?" asked Blake in disbelief as she looked into the eyes of her partner.

But thanks to a shout from Ruby, as she pointed to the now clear entrance to the vault, Yang then took off towards the entrance as both emerald and Mercury attempted to stop her with Emerald falling to the ground and Mercury managing to grab hold of yang's prosthetic arm. Yang's eyes briefly turning red before turning back to their normal lilac and detaching her arm, causing Mercury to lose his balance and Yang the opportunity to jump into the hole leading to the vault. When both Mercury and Emerald attempted to give chase, their path is then blocked by a sudden ice wall courtesy of Weiss, who was being backed by her Queen Lancer.

But now it was my turn to join in the fight as I rushed to grab my sword and Ozpin's cane and join my teammates as they continued to block shots from both Mercury and Emerald while Weiss and her Queen Lancer dodge fireballs from Hazel and Leonardo. My eyes look over to see my teammates exhausted from the continuous fighting.

"You guys okay?" I ask them, getting a cough from Ren and a painful groan from Nora.

"Surviving..." replied Ren.

"I don't know how that big guy is still standing. He recharges his Aura faster than I've ever seen!" exclaimed Nora as Qrow suddenly appears having transformed from his bird form, grunting in pain.

"He's sheer willpower." said Qrow and that when I figured it out. Hazel's Semblance worked exactly like a pain-numbing drug. While it worked and granted increased strength there was always a limit to how much a person could take before the effects started working against them.

"Then we'll just need to get him to his limit!" I shout, launching myself at Mercury and using Ozpin's muscle memory to fight back against his kicks while the others kept Emerald busy.

Suddenly, the Queen Lancer launches several projectiles at Leonardo, who managed to defend himself using his weapon before retaliating with a flame torrent, knocking the Queen Lancer away and giving Hazel the opportunity to launch a combined fire and lightning attack, obliterating the summon and charging towards Weiss. That is until a surprise attack from Blake sends Hazel sprawling to the ground before jumping away and landing next to Weiss and Ruby.

"Are you hurt?" asked Blake, her amber eyes filled with worry for her teammate and catching Weiss by surprise.

"N-No! I just remembered you being more of the quiet one." said Weiss as Hazel, Emerald, and Mercury begin to rush towards us.

"Not today." said Blake, drawing her weapon.

"Alright. Well, what's the plan, Ruby?" asked Weiss, holding her weapon up defensively when out of the corner a molten rock is fired at Ruby but reacting quickly I managed to block the attack from Leonardo and giving Ruby a clear shot as Ruby fires at the cowardly lion, causing him run away in fear, holding his injured shoulder.

Suddenly, the the fearsome roar of Hazel echoed through the building as Ruby smirked, her silver eyes shining with mischievous.

"Checkmate!" shouted Ruby, as she followed closely behind Weiss and Blake as they charged toward Hazel.

All the while, I quickly turn back to my teammates, my own eyes shining with determination. "I'm going after Lionheart! Cover me!" I shout out watching as Nora rained down grenades on Emerald and Mercury while I raced past and after Leonardo. After taking several turns through the school building, I managed to finally catch up to the cowardly lion as he made a break into his office. But before I could get close a strange sight kept me back. It looked like a jellyfish with spiked tentacles.

 _"A Seer."_ said Ozpin.

 _"What's a Seer?"_ I ask, watching a the strange Grimm began clicking and floated into the office of Leonardo.

 _"A Seer is a specialized Grimm that allows Salem to communicate with her followers outside of her domain."_ Ozpin explained.

 _"Okay, then what is it doing here?"_ I ask again before deciding to answer my own question as I slowly began to sneak up to the doorway of Leonardo's office before hearing the nervous and terrified voice of Leonardo.

"Uh, your grace!" he exclaimed nervously. "I was just looking for something." said Leonardo, no doubt speaking to Salem through the Seer.

"Leonardo, do you have something you wish to tell me?" asked Salem.

A stressful silence began to fill the space between them before Leonardo was finally able to say his excuse.

"It was Cinder! She altered the plan! Huntsmen showed up here! Qrow! Several students, one with the Silver Eyes and the newest reincarnation of Ozpin! The White Fang attack, it was stopped!" shouted Leonard, stammering for a proper excuse. "I don't know that they'll be able to recover the Relic... Your grace, I can still be of assistance! If I leave now, I... I can avoid the authorities and come find you, I'll do whatever it takes!" But his pleas fell upon the deaf ears of a Grimm and soon he was overcome with fear that it caused him to lash out, aiming his weapon at the Seer but was then stopped due to the Seer knocking the weapon from his arm and tangling it around Leonardo's ankle, tripping him and causing him to fall as Leonardo began to beg for his life. "Please, ma'am! I'll do anything! I can still be useful!" he pleaded but only more tentacles wrapped themselves around his body."Please! PLEEEAAASE!" he shouted out as a spiked tentacle lashed out, piercing his side, causing blood to seep from the wound. "Please... I don't want to die..." I begged.

But just as the Seer raising it's spiked tentacle to pierce Leonardo's body for the last time I rushed into the room, plunging the tip of my sword into the bulbous head of the Seer, stopping it's attack and causing it to loosen it's grip on Leonardo, who scrambled away from the Seer.

But I wasn't done with it yet, seeing as it was still broadcasting to wherever Salem was, I walked over to it's crumbled body and glared into it's eye.

"I'm guessing the person on the other side is Salem, right?" I ask, looking into the Seer's eye before a voice came through, albeit fuzzy.

"That is correct and just who might you be?" she asked.

"The names Jaune Arc, short, sweet, roles off the tongue and the ladies love it." I say back, feeling a little snarky at the moment.

"An Arc? Hmm, I have not met an Arc in centuries. So, am I correct in assuming that YOU are the latest host for Ozpin?" asked Salem.

"Well, I'm more a glorified taxi but yeah." I answer back for a clear a moment I hear the sound of a lighthearted chuckle escape from the Seer.

"It's amusing that even with all those memories, you still can't see the truth. Jaune, if I may, do you understand the consequences of becoming a host for Ozpin?" asked Salem and for a moment several additional memories race through my head and none of them Ozpin's, causing me to grasp my head in pain. "Hmm, I see... It shouldn't be much longer." said Salem.

"W-What's happening to me? What are these... er, memories?" I exclaim, clutching my head in pain as more and more memories flood my psyche and the voice of Ozpin becoming muddled in the background while the soft laugh of Salem remained prominent.

"I suppose, since you've caught my interest, I'll grant you the answers you seek. With each new life, Ozpin is placed within a host that shares his view of the world but what he doesn't reveal is that longer you remain his host the more control he obtains from you until eventually your being, memories and all, are no more and only Ozpin remains. It is the fate of those who become his host but there is a way to break the curse... All you must do is come to me, Jaune and I will free you from Ozpin's prison." said Salem, her voice ringing in my ears as I clutched my head in pain before a final image of Atlas and a golden lamp before falling to the ground in pain, the sound of several footsteps closing in as I stared into the eye of the Seer, hearing Salem's voice just before blackness overcame my vision. "Remember my words, Jaune. And take heed in this, even the greatest of men... Can fall from grace."

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 **And so ends the "finale" of "The Knight The Wizard" I hope you all enjoyed the story so far. And while I had been contemplating on whether or not to continue onward with an original storyline, I've decided against this in order to plan around what transpires in Volume 6, which might not be released until Fall of this year. In the meantime, "Don't Mess With An Arc", "Gun X RWBY", and "The Master Huntsman" will be available for reading for the proceeding time frame.**


	9. Destiny

**Greetings everyone,**

 **And welcome back to the long awaited story of everyone favorite duo, "The Knight and The Wizard".**

 **Hard to imagine it's been eight months since I left off on this story but as many of you, no doubt, know is that I've been sort of all over the place and I had, for some reason, decided not to follow my own path for this story and instead opted to plan around the happenings in Volume 6.** **Nevertheless, this is a story focusing on Jaune/Ozpin's story and even though I'll be following the show's plot that doesn't mean that this will be a copy-n-paste story but it will have some things changed and moved around to fit around the narrative of this story.**

 **And I have to say, this first episode and the second episode DID NOT make this chapter any easier for my story, mainly because of it's stupid flash backs! And as a result you will have to stretch your imagination on the exact capabilities of Jaune's Semblance, mainly because I needed to follow the story of separating the remainder of Team JNPR and Team RWBY while still trying to keep Jaune/Ozpin with Team RWBY. Also, let it be known that I may have made a mistake when I chose to refer to Jaune and Ozpin's "switching seats" as a form of fusion. But the damage has already been done and I'll just have to figure out how to go from there. Hopefully I can think of something that fits the narrative.**

 **In other news, I'd like to thank everyone for being so patient in waiting and I hope all of you will continue to read along with the rest of us and enjoy the story.**

 **Next Scheduled Release:**

 **Dec. 2nd: "The Knight The Wizard - Ch. 10"**

 **Make sure to Favorite, Follow, and leave a Review.**

 **Till next time!**

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Chapter Nine

Have you ever had a dream that felt so real that when you inevitably woke up you almost believed your were still asleep? Now try to imagine what that'd be like if you woke up hearing your own headmaster's voice in your head cause that's that shit I've been dealing with! Honestly, I'd take your problem over mine any day of the week. Seriously, you try living with the disembodied voice of a your previously-thought-to-be-dead-headmaster-turned-ancient-immortal-not-to-mention-magical-wizard! And to be completely honest, I was beginning to have my doubts about the voice inside my head.

Ever since that woman, Salem, said that eventually Ozpin's soul would take over my body it had only furthered the hatred that was burning in my heart for him. But my hatred for him didn't stem from the fact that his soul would eventually assimilate my own. Rather, it stemmed from the fact that it was my friends... my family... that would be the ones to suffer through his mistakes. But what made it all worse was that deep down inside me behind all of the hatred I held for him, I knew he wasn't truly evil. That if he had it his way he'd have never occupied my body and everything would go back to the way it was before. It made what I had to do next all the more serious but the first step to achieving that goal was located in the northern continent of Remnant, the militaristic kingdom of Atlas.

But the first thing I had to do first was eat the plate of piping hot pancakes before my teammate, Nora, had a chance to steal them away from me. Hey, say what you want about my predicament but if I can't enjoy a plate of pancakes coated in sweet maple syrup then there was honestly no point in going to Atlas at all.

Nevertheless, it'd been two weeks since we stopped the attack on Haven Academy and some of us, mostly Yang, Ruby, and Nora, were riding that praise from here to Vacuo. It didn't help matters when I found out, upon waking from my blackout, that Lionheart had mysteriously disappeared without a trace. And as much as I wanted to chase his cowardly ass down just so I could skin him alive I knew that it wouldn't amount to anything other than revenge. Revenge over the fact that he valued his own life over those of his kingdom. But, like Salem had said just before the surge of memories caused me to blackout... Even the greatest of men can fall from grace.

But, at least for now, I was contempt with watching my teammates' joke around with a smile on my face. After all, this could be the last time we ever get to have this moment of peace for a very long time. Chatting with the gang was a long time coming after the fiasco at Haven. Hell, I even found myself laughing at some of Yang's stupid puns. Perhaps the strange memories of the many men Ozpin had once called his reincarnations were having a deeper effect on me than I originally thought.

Regardless, I was extremely happy to be up and out of the bed I'd been confined to ever since my blackout. But what caused me to become furious upon waking was when I'd learned that Qrow, apparently having acted on the orders Ozpin had given him months prior, had decided to weave a web of lies surrounding Lionheart and his mysterious disappearance. The very thought of the coward living to see sunlight practically made my blood boil as I slammed my fist onto the dresser in front of me, causing the mirror that rested on it's counter top to shake violently. But when I glanced upwards to see my own reflection I, instead, see the face of my own headmaster, Ozpin, staring back at me.

 _"Mr. Arc, you know as well as I do that Leonardo was a good man."_ said Ozpin's reflection, the sound of condescending palpable on his tongue.

"Yeah, emphasis on WAS." I muttered under my breath at the thought of Leonardo walking away unpunished.

 _"Regardless, I simply believe that it is best for the people of Mistral to remember Leonardo for the actions he's made... And not the mistakes he's created."_ said Ozpin, frowning in the mirror's reflection.

"Well, sometimes we need our elder's mistakes in order to learn for ourselves." I argued back, furrowing my eyebrows at the ghostly apparition that occupied the mirror's reflection.

 _"I'm afraid it isn't that simple, Mr. Arc."_ said Ozpin, frowning at a memory that briefly flashed before my eyes, causing me to grab my head in minor pain.

But before I could continue to try and grill Ozpin for more answers, the sound of my room's dorm swinging open captured my attention, causing me to turn my head and see the familiar face of Ruby, her silver eyes were filled with worry at the sight of my pained expression.

"Jaune? Are you feeling okay?" she asked, her tone was sweet and motherly as she took a few steps towards me.

"I'm fine, Ruby." I lied, not wanting to add to the list of problems she was already going through. "Just a little migraine. That's all."

"Oh... Well, Uncle Qrow says we should probably get ready to leave soon... I, uh, just wanted to check up on you." said Ruby, fiddling with her thumbs as she nervously kicked some dust beneath her boot. The action, itself, was nothing to scoff at but for some reason I couldn't help but find it endearing.

A smile slowly wormed it's way onto my lips as my body moved on it's own, wrapping my arms around her short frame before pulling her into a warm embrace. Her face, now red from embarrassment, was nuzzled close against my chest, that was luckily covered by my pumpkin pete's hoodie. Silence fell between us as I held her in my arms, a feeling of longing and nostalgia filling my body with every second. But, eventually, she pulled away from my embrace, leaving me with a strange emotion within myself as she made her way back to the opened doorway. But as she turned her head to flash a smile at me another memory flashed before my eyes and in Ruby's place was a mysterious woman, whose identity was clouded, appeared in her place. And just as quickly as the memory had come so, too, did it disappear into the depths of his mind. And ruby, like the mysterious woman, was gone from my sight.

"W-Who was that?" I asked aloud, still holding my head as I tried to force myself to remember that woman.

 _"A phantom of a time best left forgotten, Mr. Arc."_ said Ozpin, frowning in the mirror's reflection. _"Now, we must depart to the others. I believe that it is time we discussed with the others about our next move."_

And though every part of my soul wanted nothing more than to chew Ozpin out, deep down I knew that all my arguing would ultimately amount to nothing. So, instead, I chose to grab my supplies and venture outside the confines of my room and out into the living room where the others were busy preparing themselves for our trip. Though, judging by the frown on Weiss's face I could tell that I was not going to be hearing anything good.

Qrow, having seen me walking in, smiled at my form before taking a short swig from the silver flask he kept in his jacket's pocket. "Heh, glad to see you're feeling better, Spellsword. I was actually starting to get worried for a second there." he said with a teasing smirk that, despite my overwhelming hatred towards him for having a part in Pyrrha's panic attack, I couldn't help but return.

"Yeah, Jaune, what the heck happened back there with Lionheart?" asked Yang, pushing herself from the couch's back support to look at my face in curiosity. "When we found you in his office you were passed out and Lionheart was gone."

And while I wanted to do nothing more than tell everyone the truth about the memory flashes and about Salem's message for some strange reason I found that I just couldn't tell them... But why couldn't I though? I knew that they'd believe me and that they'd still have my back... But I just couldn't risk it telling them the truth... And the worst part of it was that I was more than willing to lie to my own friends if it meant protecting them. Was Ozpin's control over my body happening faster than I had thought? Was I even going to have enough time to help the others before I was lost to the collection of hosts Ozpin had "eaten" so many years ago?

So, despite the pain the lies would inevitably bring down upon me, I lied once again to my closest friends and allies... And I hated myself for doing so... But I hated Ozpin's next words even more so.

 _"Trust me, Mr. Arc."_ said Ozpin, the words of wisdom spilling from his mouth like a waterfall of painful regrets. _"Sometimes a pleasant lie is better than a painful truth."_

"So, Lionhert used a dirty sneak attack and got away..." grumbled Yang, her lilac eyes briefly flashing red at the imagine she held in her mind. "Fucking cowardly lion..."

And though I wanted nothing more than to agree with Yang right then and there the sound of Qrow clearing his throat captured our group's attention as we all turned our heads towards him. "Regardless of Leo, we need to focus on getting the Relic of Knowledge to Atlas. It's the only way we can ensure it's safety since the Spring Maiden isn't around to seal the vault back up."

"Speaking of the relic." said Weiss, raising her hand gracefully into the air. A sight that had Qrow nearly sighing in annoyance at her. "I believe it is in everyone's best interest if we knew EXACTLY what it does. If we understand what it is capable of then we can better plan on how to protect it."

"Yeah, we want to know just what the heck makes this trinket worth so much trouble." Yang agreed, crossing her warm meaty arm over her cold metallic prosthetic arm.

And Qrow, turning his head to look at me, only raised a mere eyebrow in my direction. And by the gods that ruled above did I hate that look he was giving me. But, I knew that this action was not for his own benefit but for the group's benefit as well. And so, once again, Ozpin and I became one once more. Our hand reached out the the relic that rested on the table before us, our fingers looping around it's circular handle as we lifted into the air to be seen by the others of our group, it's form growing larger in our possession, most like due to some magic mumbo jumbo.

"The Relic of Knowledge." we said, hiding our mirth at the sight of Ruby's sparkling silver eyes. "While looking like an ordinary trinket as Ms. Xiao Long had playfully put it, we can assure you all that it is incredibly dangerous if placed into the wrong hands. You see, once every 100 years or so, the user may ask a total of three questions and the lamp, if it is able, will provide an answer."

"Intriguing." said Ren, placing one hand on his thigh and the other on his chin as he looked at the swinging relic in awe.

"That's incredible..." said Blake, agreeing with Ren sentiments towards the power this treasure truly held.

"Wait." said Ruby, raising her hand as if she was trying to capture our attention so that she may be called upon. An action that a part of us found endearing while another found it cute. "You said it would answer a question only if it was able to. What did you mean by that?"

"Well, the relic, while powerful, is not without it's drawbacks." we answered, placing the relic onto our waist line to keep it from falling to the ground. "The lamp cannot tell of events that have yet to happen. And, as we said before, it can only answer a total of three questions every 100 years or so."

"Well, that's not SO bad... Though, it does add a LOT of pressure." said Yang, sighing to herself at the thought of traveling with something as valuable as an national treasure that was capable of answering any question someone had.

And we couldn't help but agree with her in her feelings towards something as dangerous as the relic of knowledge. And the worst part about being bonded with an ancient wizard was that we had no need to imagine what kind of damage an object as powerful as this could cause if placed into the wrong hands. Mainly because one of us had lived through those lifetimes.

It wasn't until we finally noticed a hyperactive aura presence beside us that we turned to see Nora, crouching beside us as she looked at the relic that hung by our waist with a crazed look in her eye before she leaped to her feet and wrapped an arm around our neck and shoulders. "Then let's put it to a vote! What should we ask first? Oh! Can we ask it for more questions?" she asked before latching onto our shoulders before shaking us with extremely levels of force. "CAN WE ASK IT FOR MORE QUESTIONS!?" she shouted, shaking us so hard that we very nearly unfused before Ren was able to reel in his crazed lightning rod of a partner.

"Nora, please stop shaking Jaune and Mr. Ozpin." said Ren, facepalming with a heavy sigh. "And need I remind you that these are QUESTIONS and not WISHES?"

But, even though Nora had come dangerously close to forcing our fusion to end, we could help the lighthearted chuckled that escaped between our lips at her hyperactiveness that we had come to love. Which only made it that much more painful to lie to not only her but everyone else as well. "We're afraid you be able to ask the relic anything at this moment." we said, smiling only slightly at the sound of Nora grunting in frustration. "The questions were used before Ozpin sealed it away many years ago."

And even though our fusion entitled us the ability to share memories of past experiences there appeared to be some memories that Ozpin had gone to great lengths to hide away. Even from the very person that was currently hosting his own soul. It only fueled Jaune's anger towards the ancient wizard for not only hiding valuable information from himself but from his friends as well. And it only made Jaune hate himself more for agreeing with his actions to begin with.

"Well, at least now we know what it is. And we'll be sure to keep it safe!" said Ruby, the voice of hope that had the power to ignite a fiery passion within us all.

But not even the hopeful words from Ruby could make the feelings of guilt and remorse that were filling my body go away, as my fusion with Ozpin was ended and I was myself once again. And as the others went back to packing their supplies to ready themselves for our trip to Atlas, all I could do was stare out at the city of Mistral down below as a feeling of deja vu caused me to grow anxious at the thought of crossing an entire continent with a national treasure.

It wasn't until two hours later as I sat upon the bench at Mistral's train station, surrounded by my friends and allies that I heard the sound of rushing footfalls coming from the gate that I turned my head from I was sitting to spot a familiar red cape. A smile came to me as I watched a gleeful Ruby run past several people with a bag in her hand. The smile on her face reminded me of all the hell she'd been through the past several weeks and it only caused my admiration for her to grow larger than before. Here she was, a girl who was supposed to be attending her second semester of Beacon, trying to save the world from an evil no mortal man had ever faced before. And here I am, a boy with little-to-no training in combat and fused together with the soul of ancient wizard, who also happened to be my academy's former deceased headmaster, also trying to save the world from an evil no mortal man had ever faced before. Heh, talk about drama, am I right? Either way, it certainly didn't stop the toothy grin on Ruby's face as Yang turned to her with an expression of anticipation.

"And?" asked Yang, the lights of the station's platform bouncing off of her metallic prosthetic arm as she smiled at her younger sister as she pulled out a brown paper bag with the words "gift shop" written on it's cover.

The sheer sight of the gift shop's logo and bag were enough to pull a sigh of annoyance from the ice queen of cold shoulders herself as she rolled her eyes at her teammates' antics.

"What an absolute waste of time-" she began to say just as Yang decided to cut in before she could voice her feelings on the mysterious bag of souvenirs.

"What did you get me?" asked Yang, trying to reach for the bag in order to see for herself what was inside the bag of mysteries only for Ruby to childishly pull the bag away at the last second before facing her older sister with a gleeful grin.

"You'll have to wait and see!" Ruby said in a singsong tone as she tried to fend off against Yang's constant attacks on the bag of mysteries.

And, as much as I love to watch Yang being made to look like a fool, I knew firsthand that her pension for "accidental" destruction was not something you wanted to witness. Luckily, another, who held a pension for "accidental" destruction, was close by to stop the mayhem. And honestly, that was more unbelievable than the fact that there was a disembodied voice in my head.

"Oh, I can't believe we're taking a train to Argus! The beautiful northern coastline..." said Nora, dancing around the benches we all sat upon before coming to a stop with a quizzical expression. "You really think it's too early for beach season?"

Heh, now there's an oxymoron for you. Beach season in the freezing north. Course, now that I think about it, it has been a long time since I last had the chance to defend my beach volleyball champ title. Yang did say she planned to school me the next chance she got.

 _"Argus is well known for their pristine white sand beaches and beautiful crystal blue ocean waves."_ said Ozpin, the aforementioned disembodied voice that was now as much a part of myself as my soul was to me.

 _"Yeah, a fun beach day is the last thing I need right now."_ I mentally said back to him with a frown on my face. _"Just dealing with you and all of your baggage is enough, thanks."_

 _"Mr. Arc, if this is about what Salem had said before you must understand that Salem will say anything if it helps her achieve her goals."_ said Ozpin, reminding me of the words she'd last spoke to me.

 _"Funny. It sounds like you guys have A LOT in common."_ I replied with a blatant scowl on my face. _"It's a wonder you guys ever fought at all."_

Upon hearing my words the annoying voice of my headmaster was silent in his reply, earning me another victory against him. He knew that I was right after all. I knew that Ozpin would say things just the way I needed to hear them in order to get me to fall in line and I also knew that if I gave any such leeway that I could kiss my life goodbye and I'd be joining the millions of souls he captured over the years. And as much as I wanted him gone from my body I also knew that without him and his guidance, we'd be, as Qrow had so adamantly put it, up shit river without a damn boat. So, at least for now, I was determined to see this through to the end in hopes that I can be rid of both Ozpin and Salem as quickly as possible. It wasn't until I caught a glimpse of two unknown men walking towards us that I realized my conversation with Ozpin had pulled me away from my surroundings.

The two men walking towards us each wore a prideful smile on their faces and held their weapons in their arms like badges of honor. Please, after all of the shit I'd been through I was pretty sure rated lower on the intimidating scale than a mouse. Nevertheless, I turned my gaze upon them just as my fellow teammates and friends had done so. Though, it was the voice of Nora that answered the call of duty as she leaned over the bench to look at the two unknown men.

"Aaaand you are?" she asked, nearly causing me to smile as it seemed her words had almost caused the two guys' confidence to drop like stones in water.

"Why, Dee and Dudley, of course!" said the former, now calling himself Dee and his partner, standing to the left of him, Dudley. "The Argus Limited's very own Huntsmen. We'll be keeping everyone safe as we pass through Grimm territory."

Ah, so this was douchbag numero uno then that meant the other guy was-

"But, for a generous tip, we can make sure your passenger car get's EXTRA special attention should things get...dangerous." said Dudley, sending a flirtatious wink towards the females of our group of misfits only to receive several unamused looks from them.

Douchbag numero dos, got it.

But before any of the girls could voice their rather verbose feelings towards the two creeps the voice of Ruby's uncle and Ozpin's associate, Qrow, cut through the place like a scythe threw a Nevermore's neck. The two so-called Argus Limited's Huntsmen both turned to look at the strikingly-sober Huntsman stroll up towards them before standing in front of Yang and Ruby, his nieces.

"Yeah, I got a tip for ya." said Qrow, keeping his hands in his pockets as he frowned at the two Huntsmen. "Buzz off." Though, I don't think his threat went quite as well as he thought it did. Most likely due to the stupidly hilarious faces Ruby and Yang were making at them. "Heh, looks like Mistral's really scraping the bottom of the barrel these days." said Qrow with a smirk causing the fuming Dee to immediately retort in frustration.

"Hey!" he shouted in anger, pointing his right index finger at the man standing nonchalantly before him. "You're talking to a-" Only to be cut off as Qrow pulled out his scroll, revealing a certified Huntsman License, ending Dee's retort and silencing the two Huntsmen.

"A Professional Huntsman, right." said Qrow, sighing before putting his scroll back into his pocket. "Well, it seems one of you HEROES left the staff entrance to the caboose wide open." His words causing both Dee and Dudley to turn back around and see that the door had been left open and unguarded. "Be a shame to lose your job before it even started, huh?"

"I...I didn't do it!" said Dudley, causing his partner, Dee, to look back at him with furious annoyance before scoffing at his poor excuse.

"Come on, dummy." said Dee, turning his back on our group as he and Dudley both walked back to their positions, leaving us alone to gather our thoughts.

Suddenly, the feeling of Ozpin's presence in my head voiced his own feelings on the sudden arrival of the Argus Limited's own Huntsmen, Dee and Dudley. _"I do hope those weren't Beacon graduates."_

And as much as I wanted desperately to disagree with him if only to annoy him I couldn't help but agree with him. I mean, just imagine what Beacon might've been like if those two were there. It only made me realize how strangely glad I was that it was us, a team of barely experienced students and a former teacher, that was going off to save the world from a tyrannical queen of Grimm.

"Gotta say, I was kind of feeling overwhelmed by the fact that we're the ones saving the world." I said aloud, causing the group to turn to me. "But then people like them come along and it makes me really glad it's our jobs and not their's." And seeing their expressions of agreement was all I needed to see as I turned back just in time to see the two Huntsmen disappear into the caboose's staff entrance.

Suddenly, a feeling of nostalgia filled my body as a brief flash of memory appeared before my eyes along with that very same mysterious woman that plagued my vision just hours prior only this time I could see more of her figure besides a white cloudy silhouette. This time she wore with a white robe-like dress and a smile on her face. For some reason or another this mysterious woman, whose face was shrouded in a white fog, felt strangely familiar and yet I was almost certain I'd never met this woman before. Could she be apart of Ozpin's memories or was she one of the many, many lives Ozpin had ruined due to his mistakes? And just as quickly as the memory had appeared it quickly vanished just as fast leaving only a painful feeling of longing and regret. I brought my hand to clutch at my head, grimacing as I waited for the pain to subside as the world around me began to fade back into existence and in the mysterious woman's place was Ruby, who looked at me with an expression of worry as I held my head.

"Are you alright, Jaune?" she asked, the worry she felt towards me nearly causing me to voice my feelings before I opted to deny her worry.

"I'm fine, Ruby." I said with a smile on my face, feeling horrible that I was lying to my friend. But I knew that if I alerted the others to what was happening to me it would only cause more problems for them. So, at least for now, I was determined to keep what was happening to me a secret from them. The only question was...

What was happening to me?

It had started the very moment I'd woken from my blackout that I was bombarded with memories that belonged to neither Ozpin nor myself. These were the memories of those Ozpin had previously called his hosts. Some of their memories were peaceful, showcasing brief moments of joy and love that filled my soul with a sense of nostalgia. While others were filled with senseless bloodshed and war, the memories of endless killings and betrayal were enough to make me vomit. I could feel every scar, every painful mental scar left embedded onto their souls like they were my own. And the words that stranger had said to me at the start of my journey only made me question Ozpin's integrity further. I knew that deep down Ozpin was not truly evil, not like Salem was. But I also knew that Ozpin was more than prepared to use whatever he had to achieve his goal of stopping Salem even if it meant losing a few pawns. It only furthered my feelings of hatred towards the parasitic soul that latched onto my own. If I didn't stop Salem and break this curse that I was afraid this journey with my friends could very well be my last.

I just hope I have enough time.

But, it seems like the bitch we all know as Destiny had other plans as a few miles into our thought-to-be-peaceful journey we were ambushed by a group of Manticores being led by a Sphinx as the Argus Limited raced through the snowy countryside. And here I thought this journey was going to be a breeze! Thanks a lot universe! Nevertheless, at least I had Ozpin's experience to see me through this battle as I leaped backwards onto my hands, avoiding an incoming fireball from one of the flying Manticores that exploded against the train's armored plating. These Manticores that landed on the train were not making my life any easier as I closed my shield back into it's sheath form as I charged a nearby Manticore with my sword and Ozpin's cane in both of my grips.

Jumping into the air, I managed to kick the Manticore's armored face plate, launching myself into the air before falling back down to plunge my sword's tip into the back of it's neck, ending it's existence and allowing me to pull up my shield just time to reflect an incoming fireball back at the flying Manticore that had launched it. If that didn't make matters worse, the fact that that idiot, Dudley AKA douchebag numero dos, was stupidly drawing the Grimms' attention towards the passengers still onboard the train was not doing us any favors.

Seeing a chance, I ran towards the trigger-happy Huntsman as my teammates covered my tracks, firing a barrage of grenades and bullets at the flying Manticores. As I leaped from train car to train car, I was able to kill of two more Manticores that landed in front of me. A quick slice to their bodies with my sword was enough to bring them down. Though I knew that it was mainly Ozpin's skill that allowing me to survive this nigh-impossible encounter. Nevertheless, I was able to make it the train car where Dudley was preoccupied with shooting at the flying Manticores with his peashooter of a rifle. Upon which, I angrily grabbed his shoulder and turned him to face me as I returned his surprised expression with my own look of determination.

"Stop! You've gotta shut these turrets down!" I shouted over the roar of gunfire and Grimm screeched as Dudley looked at me as if I had grown a second head, though at the rate I was losing my body to Ozpin I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.

"Are you insane! No way!" he shouted back, turning at the just the right moment to see another Manticore being obliterated out of the sky thanks to the turret's automatic firing system causing the idiotic Huntsman to pump his fist in excitement. "Yes! Another one down!"

Having enough of his idiotic behavior, I reached out with both arms, grabbing the collar of his shirt and turning him towards me as I glared into his eyes, obviously surprised by my show of strength.

"I said stop!" I shouted, scowling at his stupid face. "We have to lure the Grimm to the back of the train!" Only for my command to fall upon deaf ears as he angrily shoved me back with a glare.

"What does it matter if they're all dead!?" he shouted back before turning to fire back at the Manticores that flew around the train's right side, firing off several fireballs from their open mouths.

Suddenly, a strange sight befell our eyes as we watched in confusion as the Sphinx and the still-living Manticores leaped off the train and took off into the air as if safely keeping their distance away from the train's exterior. It wasn't until I turned to look ahead of us that I realized why that was. What looked like a mere few feet from where we currently stood was the telltale sign of a train tunnel. One that was clearly too small to allow them to pass safely underneath it. Seeing the impending doom heading straight towards us, I turned towards the others, who were all as confused as I was and shouted with all of my might,

"TUNNEL!" I shouted, before taking off towards the open segments between the train cars and just barely managing to make it to safety in time. Unfortunately, Dudley did not fair as well as I had in his attempt. As evident by the sound of his forearm's bone snapping as the blood that was clotting beneath his skin. His groans of pain filled my ears I immediately reached for him, pulling him inside the train car so that I could treat his wound.

It was right about then as I was busy using my Semblance to heal his arm that Qrow and the others entered our train car. And by the look on Qrow's face I could tell that He was not happy knowing his request had went ignored. The usually drunken bringer of bad luck shoved Dudley into the wall, causing him to groan in pain as he cradled his arm.

"I said, turn those damn things off!" shouted Qrow, snarling at Dudley as I remained silent, still using my Semblance to heal Dudley's broken arm.

"Those THINGS are what's keeping us alive!" he shouted back, unknowingly adding fuel to the anger that festered in Qrow's body.

"Us, sure, but they're putting the passengers in danger!" Qrow shouted once more, earning Dudley's ire as he turned away to face Qrow's fury.

"I'm the one the hired for this hob, okay!?" he shouted in anger. "I'm in charge here!"

"Oh, forgive me if I'm not exactly reassured!" shouted Qrow, continuing to argue with the injured man rather than shutting up and thanking the world for the ever-brief moment of piece.

The cries of the passengers in the train car ahead of us were not helping the situation though I couldn't blame them for that. They had all assumed that this journey would only be a short trip and they'd all be in Argus as if nothing bad had ever happened in Mistral. It only made the weight of the Relic of Knowledge that hug on the side of my waist all the more heavy.

"Get off me!" shouted Dudley as he shoved Qrow back with his free hand.

"Look, if you two morons had been doing your job instead of shaking down passengers, maybe we wouldn't be in this-" But before Qrow could finish his insult towards the injured man, who had not just moments ago lost his partner to the Manticore ambush, the sudden appearance of Ruby was just enough to silence his harsh words. Seeing her face as she walked towards Dudley and myself was all I needed to know as she opened her mouth.

"Please just shut off the turrets." she pleaded, glancing at me as I turned to look at the man I was still healing.

"Trust us, we know what we're doing." I replied, giving him my trademark Arc smile before he in-turn looked at our expression of determination, no doubt knowing that we trusted our experience to help us see this day to it's end.

And with a heavy sigh as I finished healing his broken arm just enough so that his own aura to heal it on it's own, he looked upon us with a mixed expression. "Fine" he said softly, using his free hand to pull out his scroll in order to shut down the train's turrets.

In that moment, it was Nora that gave our weary group a sign of hope. Something that she had found herself doing ever since the start of our incredible journey and one that I was more than happy to see her do as she turned towards her partner, Ren, with a quizzical expression.

"Ren, could you use your Semblance to mask everyone on this train?" she asked, immediately putting the idea into all of our heads. "With the guns off and emotions hidden, they might lose track of us!"

Pondering this idea, Ren brought his hand to his chin before lowering it with an expression of uncertainty. "Hm, I never attempted to affect this many people." Pointing out a very obvious flaw in Nora's otherwise hopeful plan. A plan that almost went unfulfilled if not for Ruby pointing out that this group had what essentially amounted to an amplifier, only instead of electrical guitars being amplified it was their aura and, by extension, their Semblances.

Myself.

"Well, you've never had Jaune's help before." said Ruby, smiling at the idea as Weiss's eyes widened in realization.

"He could amplify your Aura!" Weiss readily agreed as did the others.

And for a moment I was feeling excited at the thought of seeing this plan come to fruition. If not for the presence of a very VERY annoying voice in my head. _"May I, Mr. Arc?"_ asked Ozpin, causing me to sigh before willingly deciding, against my better judgement, to allow the two of us to fuse into one once more. Our souls became one. Our bodies become one. Our minds became one. We were 100 percent in sync as we opened our eyes to gaze upon our students and friends. "I'm afraid there's one complication..." we said, turning everyone's attention towards us as we reached for the relic that hung from our waist, raising it to meet their field of view. "The Grimm are also attracted to this."

Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me right now!

This entire time we've been carrying a goddamn dinner bell strapped to our waist!?

Upon seeing the mysterious object that we held in our grasp, Dudley was the first to voice his thoughts. His eyes indicating his level of confusion over the events transpiring before his very eyes. "What's that?" he asked, sounding genuinely confused over the relic sheer importance in this situation. However, if not for the intervention of Qrow stomping his curiosity into the dirt, he may have asked a question he'd rather not have been answered. But it was the voice of Yang calling out on Ozpin's withholding of precious need-to-know information that had nearly caused the two of us to split.

"Why didn't you tell us that before!?" she shouted at the two of us as we placed the relic back onto our waist.

Luckily, Ruby stepped in just in time to save us from Yang's ire and allowed the two of us to safely split from one another thereby grant me control over my own flesh and blood body.

"It doesn't matter right now." said Ruby, her silver eyes becoming a sign of hope even as her older sister crossed her arms with a huff. "Every second we're on board this train, we're putting everyone else in danger. Get the passengers to the front cars, you'll still mask the emotions and kill the turrets. Jaune, do you think you can amplify Ren's aura from a distance?" she asked, turning towards me as I pondered her question.

"If Ozpin and I combine our strengths then maybe but..." I said, as I began to cast doubts upon myself until I felt the gentle touch of Ruby's smooth hand on my cheek, causing me to look into her bottomless silver pools.

"Jaune, I know you can do this." she said with a soft smile filling my heart were a feeling of heightened euphoria.

Even in the face of sheer impossibility, Ruby still held the tiniest shred of hope that everything would work out in the end. I don't know if I'd call that wishful thinking or immense stupidity. But, either way, it was her hope that lit the fires of determination within ourselves. And it was yet another reason I knew I'd willingly follow her to hell and back.

"You're right. I can do this, I promise." I said with a smirk and a fire in my eyes. I knew I could do this because I had to do this. I promised after all and an Arc never breaks a promise.

Seeing the fire burning in my eyes. Ruby turned back to see that others were staring at us with deadpanned expressions, causing our cheeks to redden from embarrassment After coughing her blush away Ruby tunred back towards the others with silver eyes filled to the brim with determination. "Anyway, if we can cut the back cars with us and the Relic on them, we can deal with the Grimm. You just have to make sure the rest of the train makes it safely to Argus."

Upon hearing this, it was Ren that walked towards us with a strange expression on his face before he look into our eyes. There was no need for words to be exchanged between us. The two of us reached out to clasp one another's arms before pulled the other into a hug and just as we were about to break apart Nora suddenly appeared to join in our goodbye hug. And for some reason that tickled the back of my head I had had a feeling that this would the last I'd ever see of my two teammates for a very long time.

"Promise you'll meet us in Argus." said Ren, pulling himself away from our team hug as some streams of tears fell from Nora's eyes.

And with a heavy heart and even heavier mind, I promised my brother in arms that I'd see him again in Argus. With our final goodbyes the two of them raced off to begin evacuating the passengers towards the front half of the train, leaving the rest of us to plan out our next move. After a few more minutes and the passengers were safely inside the front cars, we all exited back onto the top of the train cars where Ozpin and I fused together once again. The feeling of Ozpin's power added onto Jaune's immense pools of Aura filled us with adrenaline. All of Ozpin's knowledge over the manipulation of Aura filled our mind as we lowered our hand onto the train's roof, our eyes closed as the others fended off the attacking Sphinx and Manticores.

 _"Imagine it as if it was a wire."_ we thought to ourselves, willing our aura to move how we wanted it to be moved and shaping it into what we desired it to be. _"Imagine that Ren is but a conduit for our Semblance."_ And though it was feint, we knew that feeling of calmness under fire better than anyone. We latched onto Ren's aura, empowering his Semblance with our own. And as we felt a strange sense of calmness envelop our souls before it slowly faded further and further away we knew that our hair-brained plan had worked by some miracle. But now that left the most dangerous job to the rest of us as we turned back with our sword in one hand and our cane in the other to face down our opponents.

Charging towards the nearest Manticore, we slid beneath it's form, slicing at it's underbelly with our sword before latching onto it's scorpion-like tail and landing on it's armored back, blocking the tail's tail with our cane as we empowered our own Aura, increasing our strength as we leaped into the air just time to attack a flying Manticore as Ruby cut the one beneath us with her scythe. However, upon noticing that her uncle was struggling against the Sphinx, she immediately turned towards her cat-eared teammate, Blake.

"We've gotta ground it!" shouted Ruby as we used our shield to reflect one final fireball back towards the flying Manticore that fired it, causing it to explode in the air in a flash of fire and black smoke.

"On it!" shouted Blake, turning her weapon into it's kusarigama form. "Yang!"

Hearing her name being called, Yang took off, killing a Manticore that stupidly tried to face her, before sliding beneath the Sphinx's body and landing on the other side of the giant beast just in time for Blake to launch her weapon over the Sphinx's body before Yang immediately punched the weapon, sending it rocketing underneath the Sphinx's body and back around over it's top. After repeating this loop for a few more times until the tip impaled itself onto the train's roof, the two girls pulled on the ribbon's two ends with all their might, keeping the Sphinx from flying and allowing Weiss ample to time to use her glyphs to freeze the Sphinx's wings that were then completely shattered by both Qrow's and Ruby's bullets. Upon seeing the Sphinx reading itself for another fireball, the two scythe wielders readied their weapons of choice before launching themselves at the Sphinx, using the recoil of their weapons to accelerate their rotation until their bladed weapon met the Grimm's body, bisecting it's torso and finishing it off for good. But before the life could be drained from it's unholy eyes, it's mouth opened to reveal the fireball it was previous about to fire at them. Only for the fireball to completely miss them and crash onto the train track ahead, destroying them in the process and all but ensuring that our trouble were far from over. Where it not for Weiss and her black glyphs and our combined strength and Semblance amplifying everyone's Aura, we were all but certain that our lives would've ended that very moment.

After the train had "successfully" crashed into the snow banks below the tracks and we were certain everyone was alive and in one piece, the two of us unfused causing me to fall to my knee in the snow. The pain of fusing with Ozpin and trying out a new technique in a literal matter of seconds caused more strife than I cared to admit. Nevertheless, at least everyone was safe and sound. All six of us.

"Hah! Still alive!" shouted a very elderly voice from inside the destroyed segment of the train. The sound causing all of us to turn back and see a short elderly woman with a strange set of high tech goggles on her face and a smile on her face as if what had been a dangerous trainwreck had been nothing more than a pothole on the road or even stranger a goddamn roller-coaster. "That was a close one, huh?" she asked aloud, laughing like a crazy woman. And it was in that moment as we all stared in confusion at the elderly woman that I realized a single truth.

That destiny was a colossal bitch and she hated me with a fiery passion.


	10. Painful Truths and Pleasant Lies

**Greetings everyone,**

 **Let me say it first that I HATE these flashbacks because they are literally the bane of my writing existence. Seriously, I hate it when a show shows us what will happen and then goes back to show why it happened. I mean, c'mon, just show us it in order that way there's no confusion for those of us that rely on the show for a reference.** **Sorry, just need to vent a little bit. I'm good... For now. Beyond that, I have been watching the episodes as they come out so I do know what happens in them and I do know how I will plan those out in the future.**

 **Weirdly enough, I may have found out how I plan to go about the "fusion of Jaune and Ozpin" vs the "switching of seats". I had originally thought of it would world around the same lines as fusion in Steven Universe - yes, I'm a Steven Universe fan - in the way that both sides MUST be 100% in sync or else their fusion will fail, i.e. the fusion of Sapphire and Ruby, Garnet, having a meltdown over Pearl abusing fusion in "Keystone Motel, Part 2". But then I included pronouns such as we to ensure that this was when the two had fused even though in Steven Universe the fusion still referred to themselves as a singular being that just happens to be composed of two different beings.**

 **But, now I believe I have a permanent solution to how Jaune and Ozpin's fusion will work from now. Think of it like a car with two steering wheels; one for the driving instructor, who can take control whenever something goes wrong, and the other for the test taker, who is primarily the one in control. But it's only when both are taking control at one that the test goes swimmingly. Perhaps not the best analogy but it's the one I'm sticking with.**

 **Anyway, hopefully this explains the chapter a bit better and remember that after this month is over I will be announcing how I plan to go about any future updates to better fit my current work schedule.**

 **Next Scheduled Release:**

 **Dec. 9th: "The Knight and The Wizard - Ch. 11"**

 **Make sure to Favorite, Follow, and leave a Review.**

 **Till next time!**

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Chapter Ten

Why did the universe hate me so much? No, seriously, it was almost like it had a goddamn vengeful agenda towards me for simply being alive. Not only do I find out from the man that was literally calling my body his fuckin' apartment that the Relic was like a damn dinner bell for the Grimm but that even though I was essentially the closest thing Ozpin had to a partner he still refused to tell even me the truth about the Relic or anything else about these random flashes of memories that were not my own.

It also didn't help matters that we were now totally stranded in the middle of nowhere because a certain Grimm couldn't just die in peace. OH NO! That would've been too easy! Oh, I know! Why don't I just fuck everyone's day up by blowing up the damn train tracks! And leave them in the middle of a snowy hellscape with a bright neon sign that says "All you can devour humans! Now with a side of Relic of Knowledge!"

 _"Mr. Arc! Please do try to remain calm."_ said Ozpin, the very sound of his irritating voice causing me to clench my teeth as I picked myself out the snow.

 _"Stow it, Ozpin!"_ I mentally shouted back at the single biggest annoyance in my life. _"What the fuck do you expect me to tell everyone, huh!? "Oh, gee, sorry about the mess everyone but it turns out that the single most important thing we're supposed to be protecting is a goddamn dinner bell for every fucking Grimm for miles!" Tell me, exactly how well do you think that will go over with them?"_ I mentally asked the immortal wizard that resided in my body. But my words were only met with silence from the one man I'd hoped would have all of the answers. "Exactly."

Lifting myself from the snow was harder than I thought. Though not from lacking in strength or from any bodily injuries. But from the simple fact that every part of me wanted to do nothing more than stay in the snow and wait from the Grimm to appear. But, unfortunately, I knew that in the end it wouldn't solve anything and that it would only be delaying the inevitable. As I lifted myself back onto my feet, the pristine white snow crushing beneath my sneakers as my eyes scanned the area around us. To the far left of me was Qrow, trying shake some snow off of his weapon, and Blake, who stood atop the crashed train to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. The the far right of me was Ruby, who was trying to scavenge for supplies that fell from the train while Weiss was busy trying to look for their team's missing bags. And straight away from me was Yang, hotheaded as ever trying to lift her motorbike from the snow. And judging by how hard she was struggling was not succeeding by any stretch of the word.

"Great!" shouted Yang, still struggling with her motorbike. The sound of her frustrated shout causing all of us to turn our heads towards her. "This is just great! We're stranded, we lost a fourth of our party, and we've gained a defenseless old lady!" shouted Yang before fall backwards into the white snow, her motorbike falling after her in suit.

Said "defenseless" old lady was quick to retort Yang's label as she shuffled through the snow to be by my side. "My name is Maria Calavera, and I am NOT defenseless!" shouted Ms. Calavera, arguing against Yang's point. Wait for it. "I'm just a little hard of hearing." said Ms. Calavera, frowning ever so slightly as my cynism continued to predict her next words. And? "And blind without my eyes." said Ms. Calavera, tapping on her goggles as the lenses opened and closed repeatedly. "Which are in desperate need of repair." Which would make her... Defenseless."Okay, I'm starting to see your point."

At the sound of Qrow's annoying grunt, Yang turned her head, causing her blonde hair to become slightly wet from the frozen water as she turned to look at her uncle. "Yang, knock it off, will ya?" asked Qrow, pulling out a silver flask before taking a small sip of it. "If we lose our cool now, we'll just be inviting even more Grimm."

Upon hearing Qrow's words, Blake jumped from the top of the tree to Qrow's side, crushing the snow beneath her shoes. "Does that even matter anymore? Apparently, we've been attracting Grimm ever since we left Haven." said Blake, pointing out a very obvious flaw in our "protecting the relic" plan that Ozpin had neglected to let any one of us know. Even me, and I'm the one he's hitching a ride with and the one who will eventually be kicked out of my own body. I'd think that makes me the first one to know if all the work I'm going to be doing is just going to end up being wasted effort. And judging by the look of anger and annoyance on Yang's face, I wasn't the only one that thought that.

"Oh, and how could I EVER forget about that?" asked Yang, the sarcastic venom on his lips was palpable as she directed her anger onto Ozpin and by extension, me. "Whatever happened to "no more lies and half truths"? And why didn't you say anything to us either, Jaune?"

But, as much as I agreed with Yang about Ozpin and his inability to tell a single truth, I was not about to be considered an accomplice to Ozpin's lies. "Hey, I knew about as much as any one of you!" I shouted back, throwing Yang for a loop before managing to calm myself down with a sigh. "But you're right. I think it's about time we got some answers. Ozpin?" I asked, hearing the beckoning call of Ozpin's desire to fuse our souls once more. Upon fusing once again, for what must've been the fourth time this day. we faced our students and friends.

The feelings that both Ozpin and Jaune held within their souls filled our body due to their fusion. Guilt welled within Ozpin's soul over lying while Jaune's was filled with only anger over being lied to. In all honesty, it made fusion even more difficult than previously as this time it felt like the stirngs that held us together were snapping with every second that past.

"Believe us, Jaune is just as frustrated as the rest of you but understand that Ozpin did NOT lie to any of you." we said, holding our head as the two souls within us argued with the other.

But by the looks of disbelief and caution on each of their faces, we could tell that none of them believed those words a single iota. But it was the former heiress of the Schnee Dust Company that voiced her opinion in our words. "Well, Professor Ozpin certainly didn't tell us everything about the Relic."

Weiss's words only caused more strife with the unstable souls that fused together. The strings that barely held them together were snapping at a rapid pace. At the rate they were going the fusion between both souls would sever and neither would walk away unscathed. It only made matters worse as we lifted our hand to our head with a grimace.

"Please." we pleaded, trying to remain together even though all we wanted was to be apart. "Now is not the time."

But Yang, just as unaware as the rest of them over the damage their words were having upon us, was having none of it as her lilac eyes flashed a furious shade of red. Her blonde hair igniting like a fire as the snow around her slowly began to melt due to the heat that radiated off of her body. "No, we're past that!" she shouted at us, causing us to grimace once again. "I wanna know why you're is STILL not telling us everything!" shouted Yang, directly at the ancient wizard that remained housed in Jaune's body.

"Alright!" we shouted, voicing the anger that filled souls of both Ozpin and Jaune as the two of them slowly calmed themselves, relieving the pain that thumped within our head. But they were right. It was time that everyone knew the truth that Ozpin was hiding about the relic they were meant to protect. "It is true that the Grimm are attracted to the Relics. It's...faint, but undeniable." we said, clasping crocea mors in our right hand with a frown. "Ozpin believes that it has something to do their origin, but he's not entirely sure. Regardless, he fears that making you all aware of the danger would only add anxiety and negativity. H-He... He believes that it was the safer option... An option that Jaune does not wholeheartedly agree with either." we said, finishing our words as the others stared at us with mixed expressions.

"You know, I'm getting real tired of people choosing what's best for me." replied Weiss, placing one hand on her hip as she glared at us only for her glare to be joined alongside Yang's own.

"Is that why you told Qrow to lie to everyone about Lionheart too?" she asked, causing the souls that were currently merged together to fight once again.

It was very obvious that Jaune shared her views on Ozpin's actions. To him, Leonardo Lionheart was a cowardly man who viewed his own life above others. To betray someone close to him simply because he believed it was the better option. To willingly give his enemies secrets and locations on each Huntsman in Mistral. To think the number of people who will go to bed this night unaware that their loves were long dead. But it was Ozpin who held more anger towards Leonardo than any one of them. To him, he not only lost a valuable asset but a man whom he'd once believed to be a brother in arms. A friend.

"Ozpin believed that the kingdom of Mistral deserved better than the truth..." we said, clutching our head as wave of pain washed over us as the two souls within our body continued to fight. But sans Qrow and Ruby, none of the remainder of Team RWBY seemed to care about the damage their words were having on our psyche. "A-And he believed Leonardo deserved to be remembered...for his lifetime of service, and not the...unfortunate missteps he made in his final years."

Yang's eyes widened at the word "missteps" and in truth, we could not blame her for her reaction as her lilac eyes flashed red. "Missteps?!" she shouted, clenching her fists together as tight as she possibly could.

"W-What Lionheart did was cowardly...reprehensible. Ozpin knows that. He does not argue differently, but he asks does one lapse in judgement negate all of the good he's done?" we asked,grimacing as the two souls within our fused body continued to fight one another for dominance. "We all may have met Lionheart, but none of us met the man he was before...before Salem found him." we said, feeling the guilt and remorse that filled Ozpin's soul spread throughout our body as flashes of a man with a lion's tail bravely protected the weak and trained the next generation of heroes with a prideful smile on his face.

It was true that Leonardo Lionheart was a man many would've been proud to have met. He was brave in the face of danger. He was caring to those around him regardless of their social standing. He was a man deserving of praise and friendship. It was why it pained Ozpin so much to know that the man he believed he could trust became yet another memory in a sea of betrayal.

"Look, we're supposed to be in this together." said Yang, clenching her fists as she took a step forward towards us, adding fuel to the anger that was swelling within Ozpin's soul as flashes of memories appeared before our eyes of the sheer number of times he'd heard those exact same words. "You can trust us!" she shouted, summoning more painful memories of those we'd once thought our closest allies betraying us without a second's thought. "We're not gonna turn our backs on you!"

Finally, the infighting of the two souls within our body ended as Jaune's soul was pushed away, giving Ozpin full control of Jaune's physical body. Suddenly, we became separated and our fusion ended but there was something different about it this time. Instead, I was not in control of my body but Ozpin was. Fear washed over me as I thought that this was it for me. Was Ozpin really going to take my body for himself? Suddenly, I saw a vision of the outside world, through my own eyes. It felt strange, at first, like I knew what was happening around me yet I couldn't do anything to stop it. It wasn't until I laid my eyes on the look of devastation and confusion on Ruby's face that I was fueled by determination. There was no way I was going to go down without a fight if it meant seeing Ruby cry. And so, I fought using every ounce of mental clarity and power I could muster while Opzin continued to scream and shout at my friends.

Suddenly, I was flushed with an intense anger as years and years of painful memories flooded my mind. "DO YOU REALLY THINK LEO WAS THE FIRST!?" Ozpin shouted at them, using my own voice that both shocked and worried everyone to the point that they stopped dead in their tracks. But none were more shocked than I as struggled within the depths of my own mind to fight back against Ozpin's control. But even the sight of Ruby lifting her hand, her mouth opened to say my name, she was silenced as a pulse of energy rippled from my body, which in turn pushed me further away as more memories of unfamiliar faces filled my mind. Were these the men and women who had betrayed Ozpin so many years ago? "Do you honestly believe that Leo didn't say THOSE EXACT SAME WORDS TO ME?!" shouted Ozpin, clenching my body's teeth and fists in anger before slowly managing to calm himself just enough to avoid losing control and giving me another chance to take it back as Ozpin continued to try and explain himself and his lies to my friends. "Please understand that I am sorry about lying to you all, but my behaviors are back by experience." Ozpin said softly, lifting my head and giving me another view of my friends, who most likely had no idea of the struggle I was going through to take back my body. "I'm not saying that I have reason to believe any of you will betray me. I'm saying that I have reasons for the things I do, the secrets I keep, the reason I..." But suddenly he stopped before using my eyes to scan the surroundings as a feeling of anxiety washed over me. "Where is the Relic?" he asked before seeing said Relic in Ruby's gentle grasp.

"I-It got scattered in the crash." said Ruby, avoiding meeting Ozpin's eyes.

"Please, Ms. Rose, hand it over." commanded Ozpin, using MY voice and reaching out with MY hand out to take back the Relic, which only made me continued to fight back for control of my own damn body.

But Ruby couldn't help but hesitate, clutching the Relic close to her chest as she looked at the nigh-immortal man who wore her best guy friend's face. The same face she'd first seen when she was down on her luck on the first day in a new school. It made me fight back for control even harder than before as I used my own recently discovered Semblance to amplify my strength, hoping to match Ozpin's own just enough to gain control.

"So, all those times you talked about having faith in humanity, that was just for everyone else?" I heard Ruby ask Ozpin as I continued to fight back for control until I felt a strange presence in the back of my mind. The voices of the outside world becoming nothing but muddled words and silent tongues as I felt another strange presence within myself. Then another. And then another. More and more strange presences were making themselves known to me as a single word slowly popped into my head.

Jinn.

Jinn? Who was Jinn? It felt strange to say but it felt as if I knew this name or rather it felt as if even I had known this name for many, many years. It was then that I felt a warmth on my right shoulder. Quickly, I turned my head to see my own headmaster smiling down at me. But where as for Ozpin I felt nothing but disdain and hatred, I couldn't feel even an ounce of malice towards this man. I wracked my brain around I as tried to remember who this man was, who he used to be before meeting Ozpin.

It wasn't until I heard him speak that a flood of memories washed over me. "Say her name, Jaune, and show them all that Ozpin is not the man he claims to be." he said as memories and memories of previous lifetimes filled my vision. From the youngest child that played in the streets to the oldest man to hid himself away in a cabin. Memories flooded my vision of a blue translucent being, one who held the answers to all of my questions.

And the only way to get those answers we sought after was to say one thing.

Her name.

Finally, I threw my hand out upon instinct, shocking me back into the waking world and allowing me to see the look of confusion and shock on my friend's faces. My eyes widened as I realized that I'd taken back control of my own body! But even as euphoria filled my body I knew that Ozpin now knew what I'd learned and even now I could feel him desperately trying to take back control of my body. I knew I needed to hurry lest I lose control over to Ozpin.

Hesitantly, Qrow took a step forward towards me with a strange expression on his face. "Oz?" he asked, taking another step forward as I tried will all of my might to stop Ozpin from taking control.

I turned my head towards Ruby, who looked at me with worry. "Ruby, hurry...he's trying to stop you!" I shouted at her, shocking her back into reality as I felt the pull of Ozpin's soul in the back of my head.

Seeing this, it was Yang that answered first as she took a step forward, crushing the white snow beneath her boots. "Stop her from what?" she asked angrily as I felt another pull on my mind from Ozpin's soul. I didn't have much time anymore. I needed to stop this by any means necessary.

"He's afraid... You'll find out what he's...hiding!" I said, struggling as I could already feel Ozpin trying to take back control of my body which was evident as I felt my left leg begin to twitch uncontrollably.

Finally, my legs gave out and I fell onto my hands and knees into the snow as I felt the pull once again on my body. But, like before, I wasn't about to go down without a fight. Even as I struggled to lift my head to look at my friends, the glares on Yang, Blake, and Weiss filling me with a strange sensation and the sight of Ruby's holding the relic defensively, I had but one chance to save myself from Ozpin's control. And the only way to do that was to learn his secrets and the only way to do that was..."Jinn...Say her name to summon her, Ruby." I said, looking at Ruby as she looked down at the mysterious relic she cradled in her arms.

"Her name?" she asked, no doubt feeling confused at hearing that the relic in her arms even had a name or the fact that Ozpin was trying so desperately to prevent her from saying it. But as the wind picked up, sending several particles of snow flying around us, Ruby looked back at me before looking back at the relic she held in her hands. "Jinn?" she said softly as the snowfall around us all came to a standstill.

The confusion that everyone felt was but one tiny emotion in the see of others that each of us felt as the relic in Ruby's hands began to softly glow before floating away from Ruby's soft hands and over the soft white blanket of snow. Suddenly, a light blue mist began to seep from the relic's before raising into the air and taking a new form. And before our very eyes was a giant blue-skinned and blue-haired feminine figure draped with golden accessories and ornaments. But, it wasn't until this mysterious being spoke that I truly realized the power we now held in our hands.

"Ah, wonderful." she said softly, smiling down at the weak and confused mortals we truly were. "Tell me, what knowledge do you seek?"

This was Jinn, the Relic of Knowledge, and we were but a group of kids lost in a war that we wanted no part of.

But now was the time to get some answers to the pleasant lies Ozpin had told us.

No words were spoken from our mouths ass the mysterious translucent being of blue mist hovered above us in all of her glory. The golden accessories she wore seemed to add to her already heavenly form as she continued to smile teasingly at us. My eyes widened at the sight of her all-mighty figure as Ozpin's pull on my body slowly faded into the background.

"I am Jinn, a being created by the God of Light to aid humanity in it's pursuit of knowledge." she said with a smile as she continued to hover above us mere mortals. "I've been graced with the ability to answer three questions every one hundred years. You're in luck, as I am still able to answer-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" I randomly shouted at the godly being that floated above me before I immediately covered my mouth with my gloved hand. The stares I'd received due to my random outburst were enough to caused some considerable feelings of confusion as I looked down at my shaking hands. _"What the hell? Why did I just shout at her? Unless..."_ I wondered as Jinn slowly floated towards me with eyes filled with nostalgia and an impish smile.

"Two questions this era." said Jinn, finishing her sentence before I'd randomly cut her off before chuckling at the look of confusion on my face. "It's a pleasure to see you again, old man. I see you've taken on a new form and an Arc at that. My, have the Gods been favorable to you." she seemed to say that last sentence like it was an everyday joke she'd say to her buddies at the water cooler. And even stranger, it only made me angrier at her for saying so.

But suddenly I felt my head move without my consent towards Ruby, who watched me with a worried expression before Yang stepped between us with an angered expression, her fists clenched into balls of rage. My mouth opened as if by it's self as the words flew from my lips as if it was automated message. "Ruby, please... Don't."

"Ozpin?" she asked allowed in confusion before her silver eyes widened in sudden realization as the knowledge of what was transpiring settled over us like a blanket of pristine white snow.

I was no longer in control of my body anymore. But whereas before I was shoved to the background and forced to watch as Ozpin took personal control over my body. This time I was to be his puppet and he, the puppet master. A deep fear began to swell within me as I felt the dark and looming presence of a terrified man manipulate me like a puppet on strings.

Qrow, not understanding what was happening around himself, slowly took a step forward towards his nieces and their team only to be greeted by their weapons poised and ready to strike should he make another move. Realizing that he had no control over anything it seemed as though Qrow was ready to resign himself to whatever happened next. After taking a step back, the snow crunching beneath his feet, his eyes slowly moved from myself and Ozpin to Jinn then back to Ruby. "Do whatever you think is right, kiddo." he said relenting control over to Ruby, who turned back around to face the mysterious floating woman that seemed to be taking their turmoil in stride.

"Jinn?" asked Ruby, most likely pondering her question as I felt a pain unimaginable in the back of my head. Several thoughts raced through my head I felt Ozpin trying to seize back control from me. But try as I might to prevent him from doing so, inside I knew that Ozpin was far stronger than I was. "What is Ozpin hiding from us?" she asked as I felt a power beyond anything I'd felt before.

"NOOOOOOO!" I shouted aloud as a surge of memories flooded my vision as I felt Ozpin forcibly taking control of my body, lifting me up above the snow and forcing me to charge forward towards Ruby, who turned back at the last second with an expression of shock. And as I neared her, I felt another strange sensation pull at my body before she, along with everyone else vanished before my very eyes. Clumsily, I stumbled onto the ground, slamming my hands and knees into the ground with a smack. I quickly leaped back onto my feet as I looked around in utter shock and confusion.

No one was here.

Not Ruby.

Not Weiss.

Not even Qrow.

I was all alone in an endless white void.

"Ruby!?" I shouted into the empty void, hearing my voice echo in the distance as I quickly turned to look for her. "Weiss!?" I shouted, again, but received no answer in return. "OZPIN!?" I shouted once more as slowly the panic as the fear of isolation soon began to take it's hold on me. Was this somehow my punishment for not trying hard enough? Had this been the moment when Ozpin finally took control of my body? But if so then where were the other souls he'd collected then? Where was the man I'd spoken to the first time I'd ever fused with Ozpin?

"Once upon a time, there stood a lonely tower..." said Jinn, the sound of her disembodied voice entering my ears and shocking me enough that it made me jump in surprise. Suddenly, the white void around me began to slowly change around me until it's a pathway eventually formed before my very eyes and in the distance surrounded by grasslands and mountains. The sound of a woman's humming entered my ears as I looked around before hearing the sound of Jinn's voice echo in the background. "...that sheltered a lonely girl..." said Jinn as the scenery changed once again and sitting before our very eyes before a mirror as she slowly stroked her beautiful blonde hair with a brush was woman. But it was when this mysterious woman turned to face us that my eyes widened in sudden realization. I knew this woman. I knew everything about this woman even though I'd never met her before in my life. I knew of her dream for freedom from her prison. Her fears of remaining trapped like a bird in a gilded cage. Her hope for a future where she could finally be who she chose to be. I knew everything about this woman sitting before me. I even knew her name. A name that inspired hope and love within my heart as she lifted her head, her eyes meeting my own for the first time as my heart skipped a beat as if she could actually see me.

I knew everything about this woman because I loved her with all of my heart and soul.

No, I knew this woman because Ozpin loved this woman and I knew this woman because it was Ozpin who changed her into a monster. I knew this woman because I'd met her before on the very night I'd slain that seer Grimm on the night of Haven's supposed downfall. I knew this woman because she was everything my friends and I had been fighting against.

This was her, the monster that orchestrated the fall of Beacon. Who had a hand in Pyrrha's demise at the hand of the bitch, Cinder. The one woman who said she could break Ozpin's hold over my body. This once beautiful woman, who gazed into my eyes as if I was actually standing before her, was the monster I was destined to fight against.

This was Salem.


	11. Phantoms of a Forgotten Past

**Greetings everyone,**

 **Welcome back to the eleventh chapter of "The Knight and The Wizard".**

 **I want to thank everyone for enjoying the ninth and tenth chapters and I'm especially excited for the future episodes of RWBY but for now it is time to enjoy our tale of two unlikely individuals. Now, as I've already said before, I am watching the episodes as they release and seeing as that may be this story MAY continue onward into the January and onward until Volume 6 is over with. But it's still too early to properly say otherwise. Also, I am really glad I came up with that solution to the fusion vs switching seats debacle. In essence it works like this; either one of them can assume control over Jaune's physical body and when they're fused together it essentially allows them to pilot the body like you would an airplane or a driver instructor's car.**

 **Also, I've decided to upload this on a Saturday because I have to get up early for work tomorrow morning and I don't want to forget to upload this chapter. Also, also, be of note that the next chapter MAY be a bit shorter than the others due to some sporadic work scheduling.**

 **Next Scheduled Release:**

 **Dec. 16th: "The Knight and The Wizard - Ch. 12"**

 **Make sure to Favorite, Follow, and leave a Review.**

 **Till next time!**

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Chapter Eleven

This was her.

THIS was the monster that took Pyrrha away from me.

This monster, who wore the guise of a normal woman, was the reason for Beacon's fall and Pyrrha's death.

I stared into the crystal blue eyes of Salem's past self, clenching my hands into fists of rage as every feeling belonging to outright murderous bloodlust filled my body as I stood before the vision that stared back at me. Oh, how I wanted desperately for her to be real. I would've plunged crocea mors straight through her chest cavity and through her cold, unfeeling heart.

So then why was my heart skipping a beat every time I thought she was staring directly at me? Why were my palms all sweaty and gross? Why was I secretly hoping she'd smile at me and say my name in that beautiful melodic voice? Why did I suddenly feel nervous and filled with anxiety every time she seemed to move?

It wasn't until I heard the sound of Jinn's voice once more that I was shocked out of my momentary lapse in concentration. "Locked away by her cruel father, Salem was a girl who desired but one thing: freedom."

Her father?... Ah, that's right, the self-righteous asshole that believed he had the right to control his own daughter. Even though I was a hero, I knew that if he were to come face to face with certain death I'd be EXTREMELY pressed to come up with a good enough reason to even consider helping him.

Wait a moment... That's not true... I'd never even met this guy but then how the hell did I know everything about him? Were Ozpin's memories finally opening up to me now that Jinn had decided to answer Ruby's question?

The beautiful woman, Salem, had risen from her seat, passing by my side as her form began to fade upon contact with my elbow before reshaping back into the beauty she once was. "She lived in a time when kings and their kingdoms were plentiful, when men and women were capable of greatness, and magic was a gift from the gods that all could wield." spoke the disembodied voice of Jinn as I continued watching the woman before my eyes raise her left hand when four differently colored balls of pure magical energy appeared above her hand with six more differently colored magic balls forming a circle beneath the main four. "And yet, there she sat within her tower."

Suddenly, blue smoke began to envelope and take over Salem's appearance and eventually the interior of the gilded cage that kept her trapped like an exotic pet was no more. Now, as I looked around and saw the familiar fields of grasslands, forests, and mountains, I felt a strange presence in the back of my head, causing me to turn back and see, not Salem, but someone much more familiar and much, MUCH, worse. "Until one day, a legendary hero came to brave the challenges within the tower's walls." said Jinn's voice as I continued to stared dumbfounded and filled with anger towards the man that continued to smile at me.

There, standing before my very eyes dressed in extravagant armor and matching cape, wielding an engraved scepter in his left hand, was a tanned roguishly handsome man with dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and a confident smile befitting a warrior he so truly was. But all I could feel towards this strangely familiar man was unbridled rage and sadness over what he'd done to not just myself but to everyone close to me. Even when Jinn said his name, I cared not for it because I knew that is man...this so-called legendary hero...was nothing but a fragment of a forgotten age. A phantom of a past best left forgotten.

This was the man that I now housed within my body.

This was Ozpin... Or should I say Ozma?

Honestly, I had no idea over what his name was anymore and I highly doubted I'd care that much about it. I knew that this man was the driving cause that ruined my life. ruined countless others with the lifetime of mistakes he'd made.

But, it appears that not even my hardened glare would be enough to stop the man standing confidently before me as he proceeded through my body, his form fading into blue mist before re-forming behind me and continuing onward towards the tower that housed a monster under the guise of a beautiful maiden. And so, seeing no other way but continuing forward, I reluctantly marched alongside this man as he walked towards Salem's tower with nothing but the sound of Jinn's narration to keep me company. "Unlike those who had come before, this warrior was not driven by the prize of the young maiden's hand. He fought only for the righteousness, and his pure heart and courageous soul prevailed."

Strange sensations of nostalgia filled my body as I continued walking alongside Ozma, who had remained unchanged in his expression as we marched towards the tower. Ozpin had once said that whenever he was reincarnated he'd also be placed within the body of a like minded individual. And while it made me lighter than air to know that this man was the very ideal version of what I imagined a hero to be... It only continued to sicken me to my core that this was no longer the image that was presented to me. Ozpin was no longer the hero he once was... Now, he was just a shadow of his former self... And soon I would be too.

It wasn't until we stood before the massive doors of Salem's tower that memories of the challenges Ozma had faced filled my head. From battling with a ferocious draconic Grimm to searching for a single golden flower among a field of many to fighting hordes upon hordes of armored figures and mythical creatures. Finally, the battles were done and now we, Ozma and I, stood just outside the chamber that housed the one we'd came to rescued. After placing his hands upon each door, Ozma pushed the doors inward and there, standing in all of her beauty was the woman we'd came for. Her smile alone was enough to cause my own heart to skip a beat and I no doubt that it did the same to Ozma, judging by the barely visible blush on his cheeks.

But as she strolled towards us, the blue smoke randomly appeared once more, enveloping the scenery around us before reforming into a stilled image of both Salem and Ozma battling the tower's forces side by side with the magic that each of them housed within their bodies. "They escaped the wretched fortress, and yet something bound them together." said Jinn's voice. And it was here that their forms were briefly replaced by myself and the one I'd lost... Her beautiful flowing red hair tied carefully into a ponytail as the sun's glow bounced off of her shinning bronze armor. Her emerald green eyes were open to show the burning passion that she held in her heart. But then her form was gone, replaced by the familiar face of an innocent and socially awkward girl with a pension for weapons and endless pools of silver. My heart very nearly stopped within my chest as I stared upon her form, so excited and filled with adrenaline as she fought against the beasts that plagued mankind. But then the blue smoke enveloped her form as was my own as the scenery changed once more to show both Ozma and Salem running away from the tower, their hands clasping onto one another as they ran with excited smiles on their faces. I watched from a distance as the two of them ceased their running to catch their breaths before turning to gaze into one another's eyes. "Ozma had been ready to give his life for justice countless times, but now he saw a woman worth saving it for. And Salem, to her surprise, found her freedom not in the outside world she'd once yearned for, but in the eyes of the man that had risked his life to save her."

Suddenly, I was no longer standing at a distance as I soon found Salem was there, standing before me, with a smile on her face. A smile that caused my heart to skip a beat and my legs to become weak. "So, where should we go now?" she asked in the same beautiful voice I'd fall asleep to every single night. I couldn't help but return her smile with my own as I instinctively raised my hand to meet her own. And though I could not feel it, I knew that warmth that came from her was one that I'd love for years to come. I knew not where the world would take us but I knew that so long as she was by my side I cared not for the destination, only the journey.

"Wherever you'd like." I replied automatically, smiling at her before the voice of Jinn echoed throughout the land and along with it the blue smoke once again enveloped Salem's form, leaving me standing in the empty white void filled with a sense of longing.

"The two fell deeply in love, planned adventures around the world, and lived happily ever after...Or at least that's what should have been." said Jinn as the blue smoke reappeared and I soon found myself standing beside a weeping Salem, kneeling at Ozma's bedside, clutching his hand as her tears stained the bed's blankets with wet spots. Regret filled my body as I attempted to reach out for the weeping woman before stopping just shy of her shoulder before falling back to my side as I resinged myself to standing in silence with only the sound of Salem's sobs and Jinn's disembodied voice to keep me company as Ozma, the hero that had save the maiden in the tower and countless others, passed from this mortal plane. "Ozma, the infallible hero of legend, fell ill. And where all the beasts and blades of the world had fallen short, a single sickness prevailed." said Jinn as I clenched my hands into tight fists as the blue smoke enveloped Ozma's body, leaving Salem alone to clutch his scepter in her hands as the streams of tears had long since dried by this point.

"How could the gods let this happen?" she asked aloud, staring out the nearby window and into the distance. And Gods know how desperately I wanted to answer her. To tell her that it was going to be alright. But I knew it'd never reach her ears. Because I knew that no matter what I'd say, even if she could hear it, would be very little in her eyes. Suddenly, two orbs of magical energy appeared just above my head. One was golden and filled me with a sense of hope while the other was purple and filled me with a sense of despair. My eyes widened as I watched them float over towards Salem before revolving around her like planets around a sun.

"The gods, brothers of light and darkness, creation and destruction. Salem prayed they would see the injustice that had befallen her love and make things right." said Jinn as the two orbs continued to circle around one another before conjoining into one, creating a bright light before me that caused me to raise my arms to shield my eyes as the blue smoke ate at the scene before me. This time, I was no longer standing within the room where a hero had perished but now I stood in a field of beautiful grasslands with Salem at my side as we both stared at a massive stairway leading up a mountain. I knew this place well... And not for good reasons. "The Domain of Light was a sacred place." said Jinn as Salem placed her foot on the first step before proceeding up the stairway with Ozma's scepter clutched tightly in her grasp. "It was here the elder brother dwelled beside his fountain of life and creation. It was here-"

"Where mankind would fall." I said aloud, finishing Jinn's words with my own as I walked alongside Salem up the steps that would lead to her downfall. And just like with Pyrrha's death I was powerless to do anything about it. But not due to my own weakness but because all of this was nothing but a memory of a past best left forgotten.

I watched helplessly as Salem stood atop the mountain's peak looking over the Domain of Light. A valley of beautiful flowers surrounding a pool of water and a magnificent tree that stood at it's center. The wind picked up, casting the green leaves from the tree's branches as they circled the pool of water as a golden faceless humanoid man with antlers rose from the water before standing atop it like one would any hard surface. I watched as Salem fell to her knees, clutching Ozma's scepter in her hands as she held it out for the God of Light.

"Please... Please, bring him back to me." she pleaded, weeping as tears fell upon the pristine walkway that led her here as the God of Light and myself watched her with mixed emotions.

"I understand your pain, but you demand of me that which I cannot make so. Life and Death are part of a delicate balance." replied the God of Light, his words causing Salem to lift her head to gaze upon him in confusion.

My fists clenched tightly at my sides as anger filled my body. I hated myself to wanting to side with Salem. And I hated myself even more because I knew that if I had a way to bring Pyrrha back to me. There was nothing I wouldn't do to achieve it... Even if it meant fighting a god. And judging by the look on Salem's face I knew that she agreed with me.

"So... you won't do it then?" she asked in disbelief as she slowly rose to her feet, still holding Ozma's scepter in her delicate hands.

"To disrupt the cycle of-" said the God of Light before an very angry Salem decided to cut him off.

"But that's not fair... THAT'S NOT FAIR!" shouted Salem, tightening her grip on Ozma's scepter as she glared at the God of Light.

But it seemed that not even the God of Light cared for her plight nor her pleas as a dark energy seemed to loom over hi. And though he had no eyes even I could feel the stern glare he was delivering onto Salem, who was too engrossed in her own anger to notice.

"Let. Him. Rest." the God of Light responded sternly, raising his hand and causing the wind to pickup once more and surround Salem and myself before fading away as we soon found ourselves back at the bottom of the stairway that led us to the Domain of Light. I watched with mixed emotions as Salem angrily clutched Ozma's scepter in her hands before turning her glare upward towards the Domain of Light.

But it wasn't until I looked upward to see that scenery had changed once again, this time showing a dark and foreboding environment filled with black jagged rocks and discarded bones of travelers scattered around the dry lands with another stairway leading up another mountain. But whereas the Domain of Light filled my body with a sense of hope. This land only made me feel fear, anger, sorrow, and many more. I knew this land as well... For this was the domain of a being filled with malice, jealousy, and a desire for destruction. This was the home of him...

"The God of Darkness." said Jinn's disembodied voice as Salem cautiously made her way up the stairway that would led her to the God of Darkness. And even though every cell in my body was screaming at me to turn back and run as far from this place as I possibly could, I could not help but continue forward. "None dared to enter his home, as men knew what monstrosities emerged from his blackened pools of annihilation."

But unlike the words spoken by the disembodied voice of the Relic of Knowledge, Salem, with all the determination and willpower practically befitting those of his own family, proceeded forward towards the Domain of Darkness. All the while, I, treaded carefully alongside her as my mind was being wrecked with feelings of confusion and anger. Why was I getting so invested in this woman's past? Was it because of Ozpin's feelings towards her? Or was it because... in a strange sort of way... she reminded me of myself? I mean here she was, a mortal woman, in a land of death and darkness where even the bravest of warriors feared to go and all for the sake of getting back someone she'd lost. It made me wonder; if I had the chance to save Pyrrha, to bring her back to life, would even I be willing to go to such lengths? Would I seriously be willing to make a deal with the literal God of Grimm and Darkness if it meant seeing her beautiful smile once again?

But as we stepped upon the final step the led into the Domain of Darkness, pitch-black pools of tar-like substances littered around the barren and unloved land as hordes of Grimm wandered the rocky terrain at their leisure; I could only hope that I'd never have to answer that question... Lest, I make the same mistake I knew Salem would make.

As we walked towards the largest pool of darkness, the expression of steely determination paramount on Salem's face, the sheer number of Grimm that began to circle our position was nearly enough to make want to draw my sword, my hand instinctively on the handle before I managed to calm myself. I needed to remember that this was all a vision. A memory of the past. So, with great reluctance, I removed my hand from the handle. But it was when I moved my eyes to gaze upon the twisted and contorted form of dark-purple being with horns as it crawled out of the pitch-black pool that I immediately reacted, dropping into my fighting stance as I instinctively activated my shield before pulling my sword from it's sheath.

But this... thing... it was like it didn't even care about the horror it was bringing upon them all as it only continued to twist and contort itself until finally it stood, hunched over, staring at Salem, who despite clearly being afraid, stared back with eyes of steely determination. "And so you must understand the Dark Lord's surprise when he found a lone woman kneeling before him." said Jinn.

I watched as this monster of darkness took another step forward, my hands clenching at my sword's handle tighter than before as I tried desperately to rationalize what was happening. I knew that this was nothing but a vision. That even if I did attack nothing would come about it; good or bad. But unfortunately any sense of rationality was swiftly destroyed by the waves of despair and fear I was feeling from this thing.

"Salem understood it well. She told him of her loss and professed that she knew only he could answer her prayers, all while careful to make no mention of his elder." said Jinn's voice as Salem had already begun telling the God of Darkness her tale of sorrow and loss of her true love.

Suddenly, as if defying all odds, the God of Darkness, raised his hand, halting the slow progress his creations of destruction were making on us, before turning is attention back onto us, more specifically, Salem. "Rise, child, and let your faith in me be rewarded." the God of Darkness spoke, waving his hand before him as a large purple ball of magical energy suddenly appeared before us before fading away and leaving the body of Ozma laying before us.

Without even a shred of doubt, Salem rushed to Ozma's side, lifting his head gingerly with his hand when his eyes popped opened, revealing his hazel eyes as he began panicking and flailing in confusion. "Where am I? What is this?! WHERE AM I?!" he frantically shouted, no doubt confused and distraught over his apparent death and subsequent rebirth.

But Salem, the ever more shinning beacon of love and hope in a overall weary world, only smiled lovingly into her love's eyes. "It's okay! Everything's going to be okay!" she vehemently tried to convince him when suddenly a bright ball of light appeared behind us, causing us to cover our eyes to protect them from being blinded. When the light had finally faded, there standing at the top of the stairs that led us here was the elder brother, the God of Light. And even though he had no face to make expression, we could all feel that the god of life and creation was beyond the normal levels of pissed the fuck off.

"What have you done?" asked the God of Light, clearly speaking about the sheer bastardization of Ozma's rebirth.

"I have done what I please, brother. You may bask in the powers of creation, but you do NOT own them." argued the God of Darkness as his elder brother slowly made his way down the steps towards them. An action that caused the younger brother to make his own way atop the black pools of darkness towards his brother.

"This is not creation." said the God of Light, clearly feeling frustrated over the God of Darkness's clear disregard for his elder's words.

"DO NOT LECTURE ME!" shouted the God of Darkness as his creatures of death and destruction slowly made their way towards the God of Light.

"I will do what I must to maintain order." said the God of Light, raising his hand towards the three of us as an orange aura slowly began to surround Ozma's body before he was seemingly disintegrated in Salem's arms.

The sight alone nearly caused me to become weak in the knees as Salem, now crying that her love was taken from her so soon after she'd just gotten him back. "No! No! What did you do?!" she cried in anguish before turning her watery heated glare onto the God of Light. "BRING HIM BACK!" she shouted in anger, a feeling the God of Darkness so clearly felt at that moment as he seemed to glare at his elder brother.

"You dare enter MY domain and show such disrespect!?" the God of Darkness shouted, angrily waving his hand as the same purple ball of magical energy brought Ozma's body back from the plane of death and into the land of the living.

An action that only continued to infuriate the God of Light. "I am abiding by the rules WE agreed upon!" he shouted back in frustration, clenching his fists at his side.

"Rules that I now see are ever in your favor. And yet the day a mortal comes to pray at my feet before your own, so do you arrive to lay your judgement upon me!" shouted the God of Darkness as his horns began to grown larger, twisting into a spiral as his body slowly changed into that of a large nightmarish dragon with wings before snarling at his elder brother. In reaction to their creator's snarl, the Grimm all descended upon the God of Light when suddenly he was consumed by a bright blinding light, completely obliterating the Grimm that dared to attack him before he, too, began to change into a very oriental-looking golden dragon with large antlers.

"I know we have our differences, but I have not come here with the aim to control you. The same, however, cannot be said for her." said the God of Light, twisting his dragon-like head in our direction as I stood between them with my grip on my weapons in preparation. "This woman came to you only after I denied her pleas - pleas that would have disrupted the balance you and I created. Together." said the God of Light, his words finally ringing true in the ears of his younger brother as the God of Darkness seemed to to ponder this revelation.

"Then it seems I owe you an apology. Allow me to correct my mistake." said the God of Darkness, turning his head towards us as his graping maw of pitch-blackness opened wide, firing a purple beam at the three of us, leaving myself and Salem unharmed but once again leaving Ozma's form nothing but scattered ashes that Salem desperately tried to cling to as streams of tears plummeted from her eyes.

All manner of hatred, sorrow, and anguish filled her body as she slowly rose from his knees, which were not dirtied from kneeling upon the ground, to glare at the one that robbed her of her only chance at a happy ending. "You... You monsters! Give him back to me! GIVE HIM BACK!" she adamantly demanded as she activated her magic prepared to take on even the Gods if it meant bringing back her one true love.

But the God of Light was quicker than her magic as he flew towards us, opening his mouth before picking us up in his maw before swallowing us whole. But as we fell down the God of Light's gullet we then greeted by a bright light at the bottom and suddenly we found ourselves several feet above the God of Light's domain before plummeting down into his pool of Life. I watched as a bright aura-like shimmer overtook her body before we were swiftly brought back to the surface. I clutched at my throat, unaware that I had stupidly gotten reality and memory mixed up as I tried to cough up the nonexistent water from my throat. But it was when we looked upward from the crystal clear pools of Life that we saw there floating before us in their humanoid forms were the two godly brothers.

"When you first came to me, I did pity you." spoke the God of Light, bringing his hands together as we heard the sound of regret and pity that he felt for Salem before they were swiftly replaced by anger. "But it is clear now that your selfishness and arrogance have led you astray."

Those words alone were enough to break me as I lifted myself back onto me feet as I turned my heated glare on the one who dared to say those words to a woman who only wanted a fairy tale ending. "Selfishness? Arrogance? How is trying to save someone you love selfish!? How is doing everything in your power to see them smile arrogance!? All this woman wanted was to be with Ozma and you fuckers took that away from her! Do you know what's like to lose someone close to you!? Do you know what it feels like to know that nothing you do will ever bring that person back!? NO! Because, unlike us, you assholes wouldn't know the first thing about losing someone you love!" I shouted at the two godly beings, gripping my sword in anger before hearing Salem's voice from behind me.

"What did you do to me?" asked Salem, causing me to turn around and see a golden aura-like shimmer overtake her body, causing my eyes to widen.

"I have made you immortal." said the God of Light.

"Immortal?" she asked in confusion as she continued to stare at her hands that glowed before her.

"You cannot die. And in turn, you cannot be with your beloved." said the God of Darkness as Salem looked back up to look upon the gods in disbelief.

"So long as this world turns, you shall walk it's face." the two godly brothers spoke as one as Salem watched them in continued disbelief.

"You must learn the importance of life and death. Only then may you rest." said the God of Light as Salem wordlessly tried to reach out to them before we found ourselves standing in an open field in the middle of nowhere. I could do nothing but watch as Salem cried into the dirt, her fingers curling into the muck as she weeped her sorrowful tears.

Suddenly, the voice of Jinn echoed through the valley as Salem's form froze in place, leaving me alone to deal with Jinn's words. "Salem was a prisoner once again. Her fruitless attempts to reunite with Ozma eventually became nothing more than acts of spite and defiance against the gods." and no sooner had she said that I soon found myself back in Ozma's room where Salem was now standing with a blade in hand. My eyes widened as I reached out to block the sword's blow only for it's form to move through my hand before plunging itself into Salem's stomach. My hands shook with shock as she pulled the blade from his stomach, any wound there might've been had already been healed due to her curse.

That's right... None of this was real... It was all just a memory...

So then why did it feel so real to me?

"But perhaps the gods were not as powerful as they seemed..." said Jinn's voice as Salem, with the sword still in her hand, walked towards the nearby window overlooking the valley. "She had lied to them, turned them against one another, they... were fallible." said Jinn as Salem set her sights on a castle in the distance. "If she were to turn humanity against light and darkness, she could rid herself of their curse, or at the very least... she could make them suffer." said Jinn as Salem turned to throw the sword directly at me before the same blue smoke appeared before me, changing the scene into one of Salem speaking to various leaders of kingdoms. "Salem traveled from one kingdom to another, telling tales of how she stole immortality from the gods, welcomed any swordsman to cut her down, and demonstrated her powers. With the kings and queens in awe, she pulled them deeper in her scheme. She painted them pictures of a time when they would no longer have to watch their loved ones wither and die, when they could claim the powers of their creators for themselves, and in turn, perfect their own design." And just like before, the blue smoke had made it's return, changing the scene before me, showing the Domain of Light as several thousands of soldiers and warriors stood armed to the teeth before the domain of one of their gods. "All they needed to do was destroy their old masters." said Jinn as Salem's army charged into the God of Light's domain where she then appeared from his pool of Life in his dragon form. "The gods had hoped that Salem would learn from her eternal curse, and she did. She learned that the hearts of men are easily swayed."

The God of Darkness, also in his dragon form, soon joined at his elder's side as their creations marched towards them. But whereas the younger brother had little to say to them the elder had but only one question that needed to be answered. "Who has led you down this path?" he asked as the army parted ways, allowing Salem and myself to make our way before the gods. The God of Darkness, upon seeing Salem and the hardened glare she directed at them roared at her in anger.

In response, Salem was quick to launch a magical attack upon the two gods of light and darkness, upon which the army of warriors were all quick to follow suit, launching a barrage of attacks upon their creators. But their attacks were little more than parting gifts in the eyes of the God of Darkness as he absorbed the concentration of magic into a singular dark purple sphere of pure magical energy, causing everyone, including myself to stare in shock. But the God of Darkness could only look back in disappointment. "My own gift to them... used against me." he said with regret as his elder brother looked away as the God of Darkness squeezed the ball of magical energy, creating a shockwave that enveloped the army, including myself and Salem, and eventually the entire world itself.

We watched in shock at the sight of Salem's army fading away into ashes and dust as she and I both looked around for even a shred of evidence that someone, anyone, had survived. But none answered our please as Salem tried to deny the truth that was meeting her vision. "No... No..." she said softly when suddenly the God of Darkness stomped his foot upon the ground, the force of which knocked Salem to the ground.

"You thought there was no greater punishment we bestow upon you?" asked the God of Darkness, to which Salem rose back onto her feet to glare back at her creators.

"I'll come back. I'll tell the rest of the world of this massacre! Build a new army!" she adamantly shouted before gaining a confused expression at the sound of the God of Darkness's dark chuckle.

"You do not understand. There is no one left. You are all that remains of humanity." said the God of Darkness, causing both Salem and myself to become shocked at his words.

Then that meant that there was literally no one on earth... Everyone, men, women, even children just born, were all gone from this world.

"This planet was a beautiful experiment, but it is merely a remnant of what it once was. We will learn from this failure. I hope that you will learn from yours." said the God of Light, disappearing into a bright light of dust as Salem desperately tried to reach out for the God of Darkness, who had chosen to remain behind.

"No! You can't leave! You can't leave! COME BACK!" she shouted at him, only to receive a dark chuckle that doused all hope in her heart as her eyes widened in realization.

"Still demanding things of your creators..." said the God of Darkness before he, too, disappeared into a purple beam of light that launched from where he stood into the sky and atmosphere before colliding with the moon above, shattering it into millions of pieces that then plummeted back down to earth.

At the sight of these, Salem fell to her knees, crying in anguish as the colossal fragments of the moon fell upon the earth. I quickly raced to her side, all manner of logic had already been lost by this point as I wrapped my arms around her nonexistent form, foolishly trying to protect a phantom from an event long since passed. And as the fragments of the moon collided with our bodies it was darkness that greeted my vision and the voice of Jinn that welcomed my ears.

"Once again, Salem was alone..." said Jinn as the darkness gave way to another vision of Salem walking by a pair of deer eating grass before it changed to her walking through an abandoned village that now housed the Grimm. "She cursed the gods. She cursed the universe. She cursed everything, everything but herself. She wandered the face of the planet, awaiting a death that would never come..." said Jinn as the scene changed before me and I soon found myself standing behind Salem's back at the edge of a cliff in the God of Darkness's domain. "Until fate led her back to the Land of Darkness. This was it. This had to be it, the brother's Grimm, the pools of black that continued to give rise to horrific nightmares. If the fountain of life granted her immortality, then surely, the pools of Grimm would finally take is away." said Jinn as my eyes widened in horrific realization as I instinctively tried to reach out for her hand only for it pass completely through, leaving me to watch as Salem took a step off of the cliff before falling into the blackened pool of Grimm. I watched as the pool slowly began to bubble until finally they stopped and I knew then that I had to face reality. That Salem... the maiden that only wanted freedom from her gilded cage... was now a monster that would do anything to see humanity's destruction. "She was wrong." said Jinn's voice as more bubbles began to rise from the pool of Grimm. "This force of pure destruction could not destroy a being of infinite life. Instead, it created a being of infinite life with a desire for pure destruction." said Jinn as I watched as a deathly pale white hand surged out the black pool and with it came the familiar face of the monster I'd met on that fateful night. "And in time, she would find her adversary..."

Suddenly, I found myself back in that familiar white void until I finally turned around to see Ozma slowly waking in the very same emptiness I'd been dropped into. But then a voice echoed through the pristine white void. "Ozma." said the voice, causing Ozma to turn and see the familiar golden dragon form of the God of Light appear before him before slowly changing back into his humanoid form.

"Where am I?" asked Ozma.

"We are between realms. I'm afraid a tragedy had befallen your home at the hands of my brother. we have chosen to depart this world, but in our absence, I would like to offer you the chance to return to it." said the God of Light, only furthering the confusion Ozma was no doubt feeling at this very moment.

"I... don't understand." admitted Ozma.

"Mankind is no more, yet your world remains. And in time, your kind will grow to walk it's face once again. However, without our presence, they will be but a fraction of what they once were." said the God of Light before raising his hands and conjuring for objects: a staff, a sword, a crown, and a very familiar looking lamp. These were the Relics that Ozpin had mentioned. "Creation, destruction, choice, and knowledge were the ideals upon which humanity was made. Now I leave them behind with the hope that you will learn to remake yourselves." said the God of Light as all four relics joined together into a golden ball of energy. "If brought together, these four Relics will summon my brother and I back to your world, and humanity will be judged. If your kind has learned to live in harmony with one another and set aside their differences, then we shall once again live among you and humanity will be made whole again. But if your kind is unchanged, if you demand our blessings while still fighting amongst yourselves, then man will be found irredeemable and your world will be wiped from existence. Until your task is complete, you will reincarnate, but in a manner that ensures you are never alone." said the God of Light, his words causing Ozma to fall to his knees as he attempted to come to come to terms with his ultimatum.

"I'm sorry, but... that world just isn't as dear to me without her. If I may, I'd rather return to the afterlife to see Salem." pleaded Ozma, lowering his head before the God of Light.

"You will not find her there." the God of Light replied, causing Ozma to look back up at the godly being with his eyes widened.

"You mean she isn't gone?" he asked in utter disbelief.

"Salem lives, but the woman you hold dear in your memories is gone. Heed this warning... where you seek comfort, you will only find pain. So, will you-" But the words from the God of Light were quick to be beheaded by Ozma, himself, as he rose to his feet with a determined expression on his face.

"I'll do it." said Ozma, catching the God of Light off-guard before he returned to his normal expression.

"Very well. Our creation rests within your hands, Ozma." said the God of Light, disappearing into a blinding ball of light to soon enveloped Ozma's form and eventually the void itself.

"And so, Ozma was reborn." said Jinn as the scene around me changed to show a village under attack by a horde of Grimm and there, standing before me with a tanned complexion and pale blonde hair, was man who'd just stabbed a Beowolf through the chest with an ordinary pitchfork, causing it to disintegrate into dust. I watched as the man looked around himself to see numerous people running into the forest as a village continued to burn in the distance. Suddenly, a scream caught the man's attention, causing him to turn and see a man flailing a sword at a Beowolf, which swipes at his sword, sending it flying towards the Ozma. In retaliation, Ozam, now in his new body, raced towards the altercation, grabbing the sword off the ground before slaying the Beowolf, saving the man from death.

"Thank you." said the man, relieved that he'd been saved from death. "Please, tell me your name. Who are you?" he asked, causing Ozma's eyes to widen in realization.

Suddenly, his eyes began to shimmer before glancing back down at the sword in his hand before chucking it off to the side to look down at his hands in confusion. I knew that experience well... The feeling of power that you knew wasn't your own. The emotions of someone not like yourself. Something that felt some familiar and yet so foreign. This was what it meant to be a host for another's soul.

This man was Ozpin's first reincarnation.

"Ozma had found himself in a world completely unfamiliar to him. Cities looked different. Creatures known as the Faunus wore fangs and claws and were locked away in cages. And without the blessing of the gods, no one could perform magic like mankind was once capable of, no one but himself and a woman known as... the witch." said Jinn as the scenery changed around myself to show Ozma traversing through a densely packed forest until he came upon a small clearing with a lonely and dilapidated cottage in the woods. "During his years of travel, he heard the same frightened whispers that spoke of a terrifying sorceress who commanded dark powers in the wilds among the beasts and monsters. Ozma was convinced that this witch was Salem, and decided he needed to see what she had become." said Jinn as the cottage's door swung open and from the darkness came Salem, who wore black robes as she turned her glare onto the man that dared to enter her territory but upon seeing the cheerful smile on the man's face, Salem dropped her glare. "Call it magic or call it something stronger, but in that moment, the two knew exactly who it was that stood before them." said Jinn as the two immortals walked towards one another, each of them reaching out for the other's hand, linking their fingers together as Ozma looked at Salem in confusion and excitement.

"What do we do now?" he asked, earning a smile from his true love.

"Whatever we like." she replied with a smile as blue smoke enveloped their form, changing the scene to show a newly furnished cottage with both Salem and Ozma standing inside , each with a mug of freshly made coffee in their hands.

"As Salem and Ozma recounted the events which had brought them back together, each withheld parts of their story. Salem, fearing Ozma would reject her, blamed the end of the world on the gods. Ozma, still unsure of where the truth lay, kept his task and the Relics a secret. Though time passed and all seemed well, Ozma's conversation with the God of Light still lingered in his mind. He had found happiness, but humanity seemed more divided than ever before." said Jinn's voice as I stood back, watching with mixed emotions as Ozma and Salem continued to speak with one another.

"Are you surprised? This world is quite literally godless. These humans have no one to guide them. Perhaps that's all they need." said Salem, taking another sip of her coffee as Ozma turned to look at her in confusion.

"What are you saying?" he asked.

"We could become the gods of this world. Our powers surpass all others. Our souls transcend death itself. We can mold these lands into whatever we want, whatever you want, create the paradise that the old gods could not." said Salem, looking up from her mug and into the eyes of Ozma, who seemed troubled at first but despite everything telling him to deny this request of her's, he, instead, smiled at her as Salem placed her ghostly pale hand affectionately upon his shoulder as the two of them looked out the window.

It was just as Jinn had said before... The hearts of men are easily swayed... And Ozma was no different.

Eventually, the blue smoke reappeared, enveloping the cottage before changing the scene around me to show a village that under siege from a giant nevermore. Suddenly, the nevermore's form was covered in a purple energy, causing it to be bent and folded into several unnatural positions until finally it disintegrated into dust and the villagers all watched in awe as Ozma, now wielding his scepter and dressed in regal robes, and Salem levitated into the air side-by-side above them. The villagers all proceeded to bow to the couple in reverence.

"The two amassed a following. That following grew into a prosperous kingdom." said Jinn as the scene changed once more to show a kingdom before I suddenly found myself standing in a library as four little girls raced through the doors followed by a smiling Salem and Ozma. "And at the head of the kingdom blossomed... A family." said Jinn.

I couldn't stop myself as stray tears feel from my eyes at the sight of the little girls. Memories of having spent time with each of them filled my head as I watched them. But just as I watched one of the girls running towards me vanish into a puff of blue smoke, it was here that I realized that I had been kneeling with my arms outstretched in preparation for a hug. Slowly, I wiped the tears from my eyes and rose back onto my feet as I found myself in a office with Ozma staring out of a window while Salem sat at a nearby table watching a crystal ball.

"Are we sure this is right?" asked Ozma, causing Salem to turn her head to look at him.

"You said we needed to bring humanity together. In order to do that, we have to spread our word, and destroy those who will deny it." said Salem, shocking Ozma into turning her head to look back at his own reflection.

Only for said reflection to ask a question in turn. "What are we doing?" his reflection asked, shocking Ozma into reeling back in horror before looking over at Salem, who was still watching the crystal ball like one would watch a television.

I watched with a hardened heart as Ozma pulled away from the window to look at Salem. "This isn't what he asked of me..." said Ozma, causing Salem to look bck at him in confusion.

"What did you say?" she asked when suddenly the door to their office swung open and there, standing in the middle of the doorway was their eldest daughter, who wore an excited expression on her face as she rushed into the room.

"Mother! Father! Look!" she shouted, raising her hands as several multicolored wisps magically appeared before her.

My own eyes widened at the sight of what this little girl had just accomplished. The same could not be said about Salem, who watched her eldest daughter with a proud expression while Ozma could only look away with a troubled expression.

"It was a miracle, their children could perform magic. But what should have been a joyous occasion was short-lived." said Jinn as blue smoke changed the scene around me to show Ozma and Salem alone in their study where Ozma was telling Salem everything he'd been told by the God of Light. "Ozma told Salem everything, the true reason the God of Light had brought him back, the Relics that they scattered around the world, and the day of judgement he'd been told to prepare for." said Jinn as Ozma finished with his explanation.

"Don't you see? None of that matters anymore. Why spend our lives trying to redeem these humans when we can replace them with what they could never be?" asked Salem, smiling as she reached out for Ozma's hand.

I wanted to tell him to take it. To be there to lead her down the right path. To help her realize that this path she'd chosen would only lead to pain and sorrow. But if he was there beside her, he could be there to show her that there was another way. But alas, as I watched him recoil from her with a look of disgust on his face, I knew that this was the moment Ozpin had made his mistake and truly made Salem into the monster she was to this day.

Smoke filled the room before slowly fading away, replacing the brightly lit study with the darkened hall of the castle where Ozma, armed with his scepter, was quietly trying to escort his four daughters away from the monster their mother was slowly becoming. But as the youngest daughter turned her head to see her own mother standing menacingly at the end of the hall, Ozma was quick to stand in front of his daughters, clenching his scepter tightly in his grip. Salem, in retaliation, launched a red beam from her hand. To which, Ozma used his own scepter to counter his love's attack with a green beam. Instinctively, I raised my shield to protect myself and the girls as the two immortals' attacks clashed with one another. I tried desperately to lead the children away from the ensuing battle but as the castle itself fell upon us all, I could do nothing but watch as these four innocent little girls were crushed by several tons of rock and wood. The sight of their blood pouring through the gaps were too much as I fell to my knees in shock. All manners of pain and regret washed over me as tears fell from my eyes at the sight of my daughters' death.

It wasn't until I felt a force kick me onto my back that I found myself staring into the vengeful eyes of Salem, who had remained undamaged by the battle due to her immortality. Her foot was placed upon my chest, keeping me down s she glared at me with tears in her eyes. I could tell she hated herself for what she'd done. For what had happened to her children. And I could tell that she hated herself even more so for what she'd regretfully do next.

"We finally had freedom..." she said weakly before raising her hand directly at my face before blasting my body with a torrent of fire.

I writhed around in agony and pain as I felt the blazing hot embers torch my bare skin. No manner of aura was going to save me as I felt the life within me flicker away like a dying fire. Darkness welcomed me back as I opened my eyes to find myself still trapped in the empty void. But I knew the pain that Ozpin now felt each and every lifetime... I now knew what death was like...

"Thus began a long and painful cycle of death and rebirth for Ozma." said Jinn's disembodied voice as a small vision appeared before me of Ozma's various reincarnations walking through life. From a frail man weakly walking by gravestones to a despondent man, who held a bottle of alcohol in his hands. "Some lives were spent in mourning, many were spent attempting to forget it all." said Jinn's voice as the vision changed to show a dark-skinned man with glasses slouching before standing tall and walking determinedly forward. Memories of a life spent with a beautiful wife and daughter entered my mind, bringing a smile to my face as I closed my eyes, welcoming the visions of a happy family. "But no matter what, his mind would eventually turn back to the task he had been burdened with." said Jinn's voice as I opened my eyes to find myself standing in a dinning room where that same dark-skinned man with glasses was busy serving dinner to his wife and daughter. My eyes widened at the sight of their silver eyes as flashes of Ruby's face appeared where the wife was sitting. "And as centuries went on, Ozma began to learn the importance of living with the souls with which he'd been paired with." said Jinn as the sound of screaming caught both Ozma's and my own attention. The door swung open to show their village was being attacked by the Grimm. "But no matter where or how he lived, her presence was always felt." said Jinn as Ozma turned back to look at his wife, who merely smiled and nodded in understanding, before going out with a very familiar looking cane. And for some reason, I couldn't help but imagine a life with myself and Ruby going off to protect a village. But I knew that all of Ozma's actions would only delay the inevitable because there was one obstacle that would always be in his path. "If humanity were to ever stand a chance at being united, one thing was clear..."

The maiden in the gilded cage... The monster that took lives... Needed to die.

Blue smoke once more changed the scene, showing the same reincarnation, though now older, was tinkering with his cane in a workshop. "Knowing he could never rid the world of her through any mortal means, Ozma sought out the power of the Relics." said Jinn as the scene changed to Ozma placing his cane inside of a metal cabinet, closing the door before reopening it to show Ozma's newest reincarnation, a well-dressed man, picking up his cane. "Armed with my knowledge, he believes he could fulfill his promise to the God of Light." said Jinn, showing Ozma holding the Relic of Knowledge as he slowly walked towards Jinn.

"Where are the other Relics?" he asked.

"He asked me his questions." said Jinn's voice.

"What powers do they possess?" he asked, again.

"And though I gave him my answers..." said Jinn.

"How do I destroy Salem?" he asked finally with a determined expression.

"...Not all of them were to his liking." said Jinn's voice as the vision of Jinn only smiled playfully at Ozma's reincarnation, destroying any semblance of hope he may have had.

"You can't." she replied, causing Ozma to fall to his knees in despair.

And that very same despair hit me like a truck filled with bricks as I opened my eyes to find myself on my hands and knees in the snow, surrounded by those of Team RWBY, Qrow, and Maria Calavera. All hope was dashed before my eyes as the phantoms of the past replayed in my head on a continuous loop. What was the point in fighting if there was nothing you could do about it? Was this my destiny then? To become yet another trapped soul amongst many others who had failed to break this curse placed upon us? And as I lifted my head to gaze upon my friends' faces, all of whom held the same expression as I did, I heard the familiar rage-inducing voice of Ozpin in the back of my mind.

 _"Now you know the truth, Mr. Arc."_ said Ozpin, the sound of disappointment paramount on his tongue in the back of my mind. _"What do you plan to do now?"_

Honestly, I had no fucking idea... All I knew was that our last shred of hope had been dashed away. And all Jinn's words had done was make me realize a singular truth... that before this journey's end I, too, would eventually become nothing but a phantom of a forgotten past.


	12. A Dash of Hope

**Greetings everyone!**

 **Welcome back to the 12th chapter of "The Knight The Wizard", everybody's favorite story about two VERY unlikely individuals working together to defeat an evil sorceress! And by the by,** **I am freakin' over the moon because I recently watched the latest episodes of RWBY and HOLY GUTTER SHITE do I have literally LOADS of headcanon that I'm planning to use for this story now. That's right this story will be having its own canon! Can I get a hell yeah?!**

 **And just to make sure you all got it... NOTE: THIS STORY WILL NOT BE FOLLOWING THE TRADITIONAL STORYLINE FOR FUTURE EPISODES. IT WILL INSTEAD BE FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS WHILE ALSO MAKING ITS OWN PATH. Heed this warning to all who enter here!**

 **And like I mentioned before, this chapter will be somewhat shorter due to some workplace scheduling as I was originally going to just put the entire "Brunswick Farms" mini arc into a single chapter but hopefully I got enough in here to keep everyone satisfied until the next chapter's release.**

 **Next Scheduled Release:**

 **Dec. 23rd: "The Knight The Wizard - Ch. 13"**

 **Make sure to Favorite, Follow, and leave a Review.**

 **Till next time!**

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Chapter Twelve

None of us spoke as the visions of Ozpin's mysterious past faded away from our surroundings, taking Jinn along with them as the Relic of Knowledge fell into the heap of snow. It was impossible. It had to be untrue. But I believe Yang had described it best as the harsh reality settled upon our shoulders like a bag of bricks.

"Salem can't be killed..." said Yang, her words felt like a massive weight being placed upon our backs. "You all heard her too, right?" she asked, praying that it was all a lie only to receive no reply in return.

We asked for answers to the questions we held in the back of our minds. And in return for our curiosity our hopes were dashed away before our eyes, like dust scattering to the wind. I could not even believe it despite living it... No, perhaps I just didn't want to believe that it could be true. That all the hard work we've done... The sacrifices we've made... were all for naught.

Pyrrha, my partner, my love, who was willing give herself up to a lifetime of running away with a target painted on her back to protect the people she cherished... people like me... And instead she was killed by some power-hungry bitch and used as a pawn in someone else's game.

I had already hated Ozpin with enough passion that if we weren't already bonded then I'd do whatever it took to take his life. But even then it would all be pointless in the end. And Salem was already on my shit list but now... Now, I couldn't even stand to think about her anymore... but now, all I felt was confusion whenever I thought about her... Mainly because I knew that if I had even the slightest chance to bring Pyrrha back to me, I'd do in a heartbeat.

I curled my gloved fingers into the pristine white snow that laid before my eyes as reality began to set itself back into place, allowing the snow that stopped mid-fall to settle back into motion. Silence greeted my eardrums until the sound of Yang's growl caught my attention, causing me to look up and see her flaming red eyes glaring death down at me. And with the slightest twinge of rage, I turned the tables on that bastardized man of a wizard and I did something I'd never thought I'd willingly do... I forced him back into control of my body.

It was high time the Wizard got what he deserved.

The sight of Yang clutching onto my hoodie as she lifted my body above the snow, continuing to glare at the elderly wizard that was now forced to control my body filled with what little joy I could muster. But even though I was somewhat happy that Ozpin was getting what he deserved, the weight of regret and guilt that he was forced to face after so many years of trying to forget washed over me, ripping away my joy and turning it into sorrow and anger.

"There was so much you hadn't told us!" shouted Yang, her fingers turning white as she tightened her grip on my hoodie, continuing to deliver her anger onto the man that wore my skin. "How could you think that was okay?!"

But Ozpin, like always, had no answer to give. All he could do was hang my head in shame over the guilt that filled his soul. Finally, Yang released her hold on my hoodie, dropping my body back into the snow that crushed beneath my body's legs as Ozpin, still in control, could only hang my head in shame.

"Professor..." said Ruby, causing Ozpin to lift my head up to see the look on Ruby's face as she slowly inched her way towards my kneeling form. "What is your plan to defeat Salem?" she asked, no doubt hoping to see even a shred of hope that may light the dark tunnel of uncertainty we now found ourselves in.

"I... I dont's have one..." said Ozpin, the sound of his voice coming from my mouth was heavy with guilt and regret. But, truthfully, I knew that Ozpin had no plan for defeating Salem... He never did... All he had been doing was trying to delay the inevitable that was Humanity's destruction... Using each and every piece he held in his pocket to delay his defeat... And to see the hope in your best friend's silver eyes being dashed away was more painful than a thousand blades.

Suddenly, I watched as an object flashed in my vision before seeing as my body flew backwards into a nearby tree, The force was nearly enough to shock me back into control only for Ozpin, weak as he was, to gain back what little control he held as she lifted my head to see Qrow, his own friend and trusted confidant look away in disappointment. It was in that moment as I saw the painful reality settle upon his shoulders that I realized something... Qrow was just another pawn used in Ozpin's game... He held no valuable place just like the rest of us... And it pained him all the more so that it the truth didn't come from the one person he trusted more than life itself.

"No one wanted me..." he said softly, his words were enough to cause Ozpin to cease his movements as he watched through my eyes at his student and trusted friend. "I was cursed.." Cursed with a Semblance he could not control. Cursed to remain a loner not because he wanted to but because it was the only way he could protect those he cherished. "I gave my life to you because you gave me a place in this world..." A place where he could be finally be welcomed with open arms instead of being turned away for the misfortune he brought upon those around him. "I thought I was finally doing some good..."

I watched as tears began to fall from my own eyes as the sadness that was welling within Ozpin's soul was pushed to the surface. "But, you are!" shouted Ozpin, trying desperately to keep the last thing that made him feel even remotely close to mortal as possible. But the despair I felt Ozpin feel was beyond even my own as I watched through my own eyes at Qrow turning away from his mentor, my own hand outstretched to meet another that would never come.

"Meeting you... Was the worst luck of my life..." said Qrow, turning away from the shattered shell of a man as he slumped my body back against the tree in sorrow.

"Maybe you're right..." said Ozpin, relinquishing control back onto me as I thrusted back into the driver seat of my own body as the pain from Qrow's sudden punch came rushing upon me, causing me to raise my gloved hand onto my cheek with a grimace.

"What happened?" asked Ruby, no doubt noticing that Ozpin was no longer in control of my body as she raced to my side, placing her hands upon my shoulder as I cradled my red swollen cheek as I willed my Semblance to heal my cheek.

But there was something different this time when I regained back control of my body. No matter how hard I tried I could no longer feel Ozpin's presence in the back of my mind... It was almost as if he was gone... completely from the depths of my mind. My eyes widened in confusion as the reality settled upon my shoulders. "He's... gone?" I asked aloud, causing the others to turn their heads towards me with the same expressions of confusion as I was feeling in that very moment.

"What the hell do you mean "he's gone"?" asked Yang, turning her red eyes upon me. "That fucking bastard! Tell him we're not through with him yet!"

"No, it's different this time. He's gone-gone. It... It's like he's locked himself deep inside my head. No, our head?" I groaned clamping my hands onto my head as waves of migraines washed over my brain at the thought. Was my body even mine any more? Was it ever was mine to begin with? Or was I always fated to be an empty shell for some failure of a wizard? No! That wasn't possible! I was born to be a Huntsman! A hero! Like my father! My grandfather! And every Arc before me! It can't be like this, could it? "I hate this! Gah! I just want it to stop!" I shouted, clutching my head in pain and denial.

"He just left us?" asked Weiss, sharing the same disbelief that we were all feeling in that moment.

"What are we going to do now?" asked Blake, her feline ears folding over her head as the snowfall fell all around us.

"ENOUGH!" shouted a voice that echoed through the snowfall, causing all of us to turn our heads towards the one that spoke with confidence and clarity. Though her physical body was weak and frail, it was her heart and mind that were strong and hopeful. And as my gaze fell upon Maria Calavera I couldn't help the feeling of pride that I felt towards her as she remained confidant in this weary world. "We need to get a move on. It'll be dark before we know it, and every one of you is spewing negativity!" she shouted, thrusting her cane towards me, to which I grabbed onto, before lifting me back onto my feet with Ruby standing beside me in case I fell over. "There's a trail over there, trails usually lead somewhere." she commanded as she slowly began making her way towards said trail.

That is until Yang decided that now was the best time to take her aggression out on someone other than myself. Not that her anger wasn't justified but that it was doing very little to help with our current situation.

"Lady, I don't know who you think you are but-" But the sound of Maria slamming her cane into the ground silenced all words from Yang's mouth as she turned her attention onto my fellow blonde.

"No buts!" she demanded before calming herself enough to speak. "I understand that you're upset. Honestly, I'm still coming to terms with the fact that this is humanity's second time around. But, if we don't move, we will all die. And I'll be damned if I've lived this long just to die out here in the cold!" shouted Maria, once again causing me to swell up with pride towards the dark skinned elderly woman that stood confidently before my eyes.

"She's right." agreed Ruby, grabbing her pack off the ground before swinging it over her shoulder. "Come on everyone."

After several minutes of searching for our supplies and anything extra that would eventually help us in our journey to Argus, I was busy with looking through a nearby crate when the sound of crunching snow coming from behind me caused me to turn my head and see Ruby, standing with flakes of white snow in her hair and in her outstretched hand was Ozpin's cane. I eyed the cane with disdain before remembering the adventures it had been through... Reluctantly, I took the cane from Ruby's soft and gentle hand before looking down at it in sadness.

I was right... By the end of this journey I would be nothing but an empty shell used by another... A shadow of my former self... Another soul in a massive collection of those that failed to break this curse.

"I'm just going to be another one of his lives, aren't I?" I asked aloud, wanting so desperately for all of this be a dream before looking up and seeing Ruby's own silver eyes widening at my question before she tried to put on a brave face for me, placing her hand on my shoulder.

"Of course not, Jaune." she said with a fake smile, not even believing her own words. "You're your own person and you're going to beat this and go off on amazing adventures with your teammates."

I wanted to believe her words of hope... Gods know I wanted to believe them... But... I couldn't... No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't believe in the even tiniest shred of hope that she tried desperately to share with me...

And it appears that judging by the expression on Qrow's face as he walked past the two of us that not even he shared Ruby's optimism. "Don't lie to him, Ruby." said Qrow, lifting his flask to his lips as he allowed the burning liquid to pass between his lips and down into his gullet before reluctantly pulling the cap away from his lips. "We're better than that..." he mumbled before stopping in his tracks to turn towards us with a saddened expression on his face. "Sorry... About hitting you..."

You know, there was something about Qrow that made me both despise his very being and yet at the same time I couldn't help but feel like in some sort of way we were more alike than either one of us originally thought. We had both felt like outcasts in our own homes and we'd both lost someone close to us... And now, all we were doing now was living day-to-day with no clear destination in sight. Forever wandering in a desolate world.

"It's fine. Honestly, I'd probably do the same if I wasn't bonded with him." I replied with a tiny smirk before finishing up healing my swollen cheek.

And Ruby, hearing her own Uncle apologize to me must've been even more of shock to her than me as her silver eyes widened to comedic levels before closing in a slow blink. She turned to face me with a conflicted expression on her face before I felt both of her hand reach out to grasp one of my own. I looked down to see her pale white hands holding onto my own. The butterflies in my stomach were not helping things as she looked up to me with those seemingly bottomless pools of silver.

"Listen, I don't know how we'll beat Salem or how we'll break this curse... But I do know that no matter what happens that I will always be there for you, Jaune. And nothing will ever take you away from me. Not Salem. Not Ozpin. Not even the Gods, themselves. You just have to trust me... Do you trust me?" she asked, staring up at me with the tiniest light of hope that seemed to burn in her silver eyes.

I couldn't stop the smile that grew on my face even if I wanted to. I knew better than anyone that Ruby was a girl that you could do more than just put your trust in her. She was like a beacon of hope in this darkness we found ourselves in. Without even realizing it, I had instinctively raised my hand to meet her left cheek. Cradling her soft pale white cheek against the warmth of my gloved palm as I continued to smile softly down at her.

"I trust you more than anyone in this entire world, Ruby." I said, smiling before noticing that Ruby was looking up at me with a smile, her silver eyes were almost shining as we continued to stare into each other's eyes. I wanted this moment to last a lifetime... But, sadly, like with most everything else that had happened today, the sound of a whistle broke our moment of peace and brought our attention over to see Qrow, playfully smirking at us with his flask still in hand.

"If you two lovebirds are done over there, we need to get a move on before this storm gets any worse!" he shouted, his words were enough to cause the both of us to blush and release each other's hands our of embarrassment.

Neither one of us spoke but I couldn't help but notice the lingering feeling on my hand. I glanced down to see nothing strange before looking back up to see Ruby's retreating form as she hurriedly raced to the front of the pack alongside her fellow teammates. The pain that was filling in my chest had somewhat subsided but it didn't go away... It never did after all. Part of me wanted that fleeting moment with Ruby to last forever while another part of me wanted nothing more that distance myself from her... I was already doomed to fail, the last thing I wanted was to drag her, or the others, down with me...

And so, we walked aimlessly down the snow covered path into the unknown wilderness as the snowfall slowly began to pick up, cascading a blanket of white all around us. I had no clue as to how long we'd been walking though I could tell that we had been walking long enough for the snow to cover our own tracks. Which meant that we now had little choice than to continue forward with fleeting hope for shelter. But who was I kidding... Hope was for that fools that were ignorant of the reality that was before their very eyes. Honestly, I was wondering why I was even bothering continuing onward as I was right now. I knew that no matter how far we walked or how close we came to our destination that my fate was written. I would no longer be the hopeful boy I once was and I would be nothing but a shadow. And if that was truly the case that what was the point in going to Atlas?

But, even so, we continued down the path that Maria had chosen for us. The bottom of my shoes were wet from the snow that crunched beneath my weight while the red sash that hung loosely from my waist was fluttering about in the wind as the snowfall around was slowly making it's way into a flurry as more and more flakes of snow fell all around us.

Qrow, lifting his head up to see the same as I, released a heavy sigh from his mouth, the heat from his breath showcasing as a visible wisp in the frigid temperature of the snowy forest that surrounded us. "Doesn't look like this is gonna let up." he said with a sigh of exhaustion and annoyance.

And, truthfully, I had to agree with him... We were already at rock bottom because of Salem. Was there any REAL point to crushing our spirits any more than they already were?

"Just wanna get this stupid Relic to Altas." said Blake, huffing a puff of annoyance.

Well, nice to see that Blake shares our same sentiment over how royally fucked up our predicament really was.

"Let's hope we don't have to walk all the way there." said Weiss, breathing a wisp of exhaustion as the rest of us silently agreed with her words.

With our luck, the odds of that happening were slowly going into the triple digits.

"I thought trails led somewhere?" asked a very sarcastic Yang, who seemed to shoot a backwards glare at Maria, who was resting atop Yang's motorbike due to being too weak and frail to brave the harrowing journey the rest of us were on.

But Maria was not one to take shit lying down as she turned her head to look at the back of Yang's head. "Do you honestly have nothing better to do than to harass a defenseless old lady?" she asked with a ghost smile as Yang huffed in annoyance but chose to still her tongue, lest she say something she might regret.

Suddenly, the sight of Ruby stopping in her tracks caused the rest of us to stop as well as we watched her gaze off into the distance with a quizzical expression. "Do you guys hear that?" she asked before the sound of squeaking metal echo through the snowy forest. Before long, we had all walked further along the trail that now we had arrived at an abandoned farm. The sign above the main gate read out "Brunswick Farms". But to our dismay, there was no one in sight.

"Well. at least one good thing happened today." said Blake, obviously trying to remained optimistic despite how clear cut everything was.

"It looks abandoned." said Weiss as we all slowly walked into the compound, the sound of the squeaking gate echoing behind us as we walked further into the farm.

"Come on, I think we could all use some rest." commanded Qrow, leading the rest of us towards one of the large houses that rested within the farm's perimeter.

I took one last glance up at the Brunswick Farm's sigh as a wave of exhaustion washed over me like an ocean wave. My body felt heavier as I stared at the sign above... Eh, I was probably just tired from all of the walking... Without much else to do, I walked beneath the sign to join the others at one of the nearby houses. Oh yeah, an abandoned farm in the middle of snow-covered forest with not even a single soul in sight? What could possibly go wrong?

It wasn't until I'd noticed just how far away we were from the main building that I was able to properly take notice of how utterly perserved the farm was when compared with the many other abandoned villages and towns we'd past prior to reaching Haven Academy. And judging by the perplexed expression on Ruby's face as she and I walked side-by-side together, I could tell that she, too, shared my feelings of confusion.

"I don't get it." I heard Ruby say with a sigh, causing me to twist my head and look at her. "The empty towns we've passed through were all damaged or unfinished. But this place looks..."

"Fine?" I asked, finishing her sentence which in turn caused her expression to shift into worrisome.

It was true though. The sheer number of destroyed and uncompleted frontier towns were nearly in the double digits by the time we made half-way to Haven. But to actually see a untouched farm in the middle of a snowy terrain and yet completely abandoned was enough to make me second guess staying here. But as I turned my head back to see that our tracks had long since been covered by the rapidly falling snow, I knew that even if we did turn back we'd surely get even more lost than we were right now. Right now we had little other choice than to continue forward into this seemingly abandoned farm.

As we neared closer to the main building I couldn't help but notice how Weiss was clinging onto herself, shivering from the cold. At first, I thought it was strange for someone like her, who was born in the frigid temperatures of Atlas to even feel cold till I remembered that she'd spent the better part of six months in Vale, a drastic change when compared with the snowy continent where Atlas was held.

"Maybe everyone left in a hurry? Before things took a turn?" asked Weiss, placing the question into each of our heads.

True, there was the possibility that the farmers here had noticed how utterly barren this farm would become and had decided it was best to leave before anything bad could happen. But then again, how did that explain all the leftover farming equipment? One of the few things I was able to take notice of was what looked to be a snow-covered tractor out in the middle of a nearby field. It made me wonder; what sort of people would leave farming equipment out in the middle of nowhere?

But before I could even have a chance to rebuke Weiss's suggestion, we were already at the main entrance of the house. Qrow, after trying to open the door only to find it locked, turned his head towards us with a serious and commanding expression. "Stay on your guard and be ready for anything." he commanded before turning to face the locked door and with all of his might, kicked the door wide open before allowing the rest of us to enter with our weapons poised and ready to defend ourselves.

But, surprise-surprise, there was no one here. We all looked around the area we were in with caution as we entered further into the foyer of the house. Silence was all that we could hear as we entered the seemingly abandoned farmhouse. That is until we heard the loud and commanding voice of Maria coming from behind us.

"Close the damn door already!" she shouted loudly, causing the rest of us to jump in alarm before splitting apart as she slowly made her way into the house with her skull-headed cane in hand. "It's cold enough in here as it is."

After putting our weapons back into their sheaths, Blake and I took it upon ourselves to block up the now swinging front door with a nearby drawer. True, it may not be enough to keep the cold out completely but at the very least we wouldn't freeze to death. Afterwards, we walking into the main living room of the house, each of us thankful that at the very least now we were somewhat safe from the cold.

"I think I saw a chimney from the outside." said Blake, causing the rest of us to turn towards her. "Maybe we could get a fire going?"

"Please." pleaded Weiss, no doubt feeling over the shattered moon at the thought of being near the warmth of roaring fire. "I'll see if I can find some blankets."

Upon hearing this, Qrow turned and directed his index finger towards Yang, who was standing nearby with her back leaning against the wall. "Yang, go with mini-ice queen."

The sound of her obnoxious nickname was enough to make Weiss huff out in annoyance while simultaneously making Yang snort in laughter before the feeling the heated glare from the ice queen herself. The two of them then proceeded their way further into the house with Weiss opting to take the upstairs while Yang chose to remain on the first floor while the rest of us remained downstairs. Eventually, after searching through the nearby rooms, I finally came upon one with a fireplace. The room, itself, was filled with bookshelves and reading chairs. Swinging the squeaky door open further, Ruby and I walked into the room with our weapons at the ready.

"Looks like a study. Or, maybe a library?" I asked aloud, twisting my head to look at Ruby, who could only shrug her shoulders before putting her scythe away as she walked towards one of the nearby walls that was lined with photographs. Joining her by her side, we notice that all of the photos on the wall were of the family that lived here.

"What do you think happened here?" I asked aloud just as Blake came in to join by our side, also taking notice of the family photographs that hung from the wall.

"It's hard to imagine that they'd just up and leave this place without even taking these." said Blake, also noticing that the house was really well preserved with items one wouldn't usually leave when leaving their home.

But it was Ruby who was the first to voice her concerns as she looked at the main family photo that hung before her eyes. "Something doesn't feel right..." she said, causing both Blake and I to look at her in concern before Blake went to turn away from the mysterious family photos.

"Let's see if we can find some-" But suddenly, a high-pitched scream echoed through the house, causing us to widen our eyes in alarm at it's sound. It must've came from upstairs. But the only person to go upstairs was...

"Weiss!" shouted Ruby, whipping out her sniper-scythe and took off with her Semblance up the stairs while Blake, Qrow, and I followed closely behind with our weapons at the ready.

But what soon greeted our sights was something I hoped no one ever had the displeasure of ever seeing even once in their entire life. There, lying on the bed where Weiss was kneeling in, were the cold and lifeless bodies of a man and woman. The sight was nearly enough to make me want to vomit but I held true as Qrow and I walked towards the decomposing couple lying dead on their bed. Their bodies were blackened from what looked to be frostbite but there was something strange with the way they were lying in the bed. It almost liked they were comfortably sleeping in their bed. But, if that was to be the case then it still left one question unanswered... How did they die in the first place? The shared look Qrow and I gave one another did very little to calm my nerves as the two of us raced back out of the house and further into the compound before splitting up to look through the other houses with our weapons at the ready.

But it was the same in each and every house we searched through. Bodies in every bed of every house in the entire compound. It was stranger than fiction as Qrow and I met outside the main house. Neither of us knew what to make of it all. What the hell happened here? How did everyone here die in their sleep? Was it from starvation or was it the cold? Honestly, neither answer was going satisfy our curiosity. But, seeing nothing else to do, Qrow and I re-entered the house where we soon found a red glow originating from the library. Someone must've gotten the fire going. Lucky for us though I was having a hard time believing anything in the past few hours had been lucky at all. As we entered the library, the faces of our friends and family all twisting to look at us, each of them hoping that we held the answers to the questions they all sought. But we didn't know shit.

Finally, it was Qrow that spoke first, pulling our his silver flask from his jacket pocket with a grimace. "It's the same in every house..." he said softly, causing their eyes to widen at the words.

"What?" asked Yang in disbelief.

"He's right." I said, causing their attention to shift towards me as Qrow walked towards the fireplace to warm himself up. "Bodies... In every bed... In every house... Almost as if everyone just-"

"Went to sleep and didn't wake up..." finished Qrow, taking another swig from his flask before putting it away.

And Weiss, having firsthand seen what happened to the couple that slept peacefully in their bed was the first to voice her concerns at the though of remaining in a thought-to-be abandoned farmhouse where people died in their sleep. "Then we're not staying here, right?" she asked, her icy-blue eyes meeting those of our own.

"We don't exactly have that much of a choice. The storm outside's only getting worse. We'd freeze to death before we made it anywhere." said Qrow, not sounding even the tiniest bit happy about staying in this place just like the rest of us.

"Well, then we might as well get comfortable." said Maria, taking a book off the shelf with an "I" on the front cover before going to sit on a nearby reading chair.

But Yang was not one to just sit quietly anywhere. Especially, if the so-called safe haven from the cold was also being shared by the lifeless bodies of a couple that died here. "Yeah, fat chance at that happening."

"Either way, let's at least do something." said Ruby, raising to her feet with her hands on her hips. "If this place wasn't abandoned then it might still have some supplies we could us."

"Yeah, like medicine or food. Maybe even a car." I replied, feeling a little bit of hope thanks to Ruby's optimism.

Upon hearing this, Qrow was the first to take action as he, too, rose back onto his feet, placing his silver flask back into his jacket pocket before turning to face the rest of us. "I'll do another sweep of the grounds. No one else goes anywhere alone." he commanded, making his way towards the door just before I made the effort to stop him.

"Want me to come along? Give you some back up?" I asked him only to receive a playful smirk as he ran his greasy hands through my hair.

"Thanks for the offer, Spellsword, but it might be safer if you stayed here with the others, especially with my kind of luck. Plus, the last thing I need is shortstack getting antsy about where her knight in shinning armor is." joked Qrow, smirking despite my heated glare being directed at him as he left the house to search the compound for any kind of supplies that may help us in our endeavors.

Before long, Blake, too, rose back onto her feet, dusting off the dirt from her knees before joining beside Yang's side. "Yang and I can search the other buildings for vehicles."

To which Yang only released a sigh of annoyance as she pushed her back off of the wall with a huff. "Fine. Whatever gets me out of this damn house."

Afterwards, the two of them left the house and out into the snowy compound to search for a car or even a truck. Honestly, I'd even take a damn soccer mom van if it was the only thing that would help us get the fuck out of here. I watched from the side as Ruby, too, stood up before casting her eyes on her partner, who was still trying to remain warm with a blanket as she stared into the living room with a melancholic expression on her face. The sight of Ruby turning her attention onto me made me smile in return before I silently nodded my head in agreement. I knew better than anyone that what Weiss needed right now was a distraction from this dire mood. And who better to distract her than her own rambunctious partner?

"You know, food always makes me feel better..." said Ruby, chuckling nervously, making me smile at it's adorable sound and Weiss to turn and look at her in contemplation. "Just saying."

And with a sigh of complacency, Weiss reluctantly dropped the blanket onto the back of the couch. "Right..." she said softly before turning to exit the room with Ruby, after turning back to give me one last smile, following closely behind her.

Now all that was left was Maria, who was busy reading through the same book she'd picked off the bookshelf, and myself, as I tried to keep the fire going. Neither one of us spoke to the other. That is until I heard the sound of her chuckling, causing me to turn my head to look at her in confusion.

"What? Find something funny in there?" I asked, wondering if she'd found an interesting and humorous portion of the story.

"No, just feeling glad that young love can still blossom even in times like this." said Maria, lowering the book she was ready to playfully smile at me.

But, being myself, a socially awkward boy housing the spirit of an ancient wizard, could only turn my head away from the elderly woman as I felt my cheeks begin to redden at her words. "I don't know what you're talking about." I denied, hoping to just avoid this conversation all together.

"Please, you can't fool these eyes, boy. I've seen how the two of you look at each other." said Maria, calling my bluff as she lowered the book onto her lap. "We live in trying times and judging from what that Jinn-woman said it's only going to get worse from here on. We have to take what little happiness we can in moments like this."

"Ruby's just a friend. That's all..." I said, not even believing my own words as I continued rekindling the fire.

"You and I both know that she is MORE than just a friend." said Maria, causing me to stop from messing with the fire. "Why are you so adamant about denying what is truly there?" she asked.

I knew that she was right. I did love Ruby. More than I should've. But I also knew that the last thing we needed in times like this was romantic drama. And I also knew that even if we did get together it would, at best, be very short-lived.

"Because what's the point in trying if at the end I won't be here anymore?" I asked her, turning my head to look at her. "What's the point in admitting I love her if by tomorrow's end I won't be the same person?"When silence was all that my questions were met with, I released a huff of annoyance before turning my attention back onto rekindling the fire.

"Hope." she said softly, causing me to turn my head to look at her in confusion.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"Hope is what makes us strong. It is what fuels us to keep moving forward through even the darkest nights. It is what empowers us to fight back against the hardships of life. It is what each and every one of us dreams of. And when all else fails, when our weapons are broken and our homes are laid to waste. It is hope that we have left." said Maria, smiling at me, once again awakening feelings of pride deep from within my core. "And you and I both know that that girl you love has it in spades."

For once, despite all of the hardships we've faced throughout our lifetimes, I couldn't stop the smile that grew on me as I turned back to see the others had made their returns, each of them at least partially successful in their objectives. But it wasn't until I saw Ruby, her arms full of canned food and smiling like she'd just found a humongous box of ammunition for her weapon that I realized just how right Maria was. Ruby, despite everything, was still hopeful that everything would work out in the end and that everything would go back to the way it was. Perhaps hope was just the kind of thing we needed in times like this?

Little did I know just how true that statement would become the following morning at Brunswick Farms.


	13. The Breaking Point

**Greetings everyone!**

 **Welcome back to the thirteenth chapter of "The Knight The Wizard".**

 **I'm so glad that some of you enjoyed the previous chapter and I can only hope that the same happens here.**

 **Now, as I said before, this story will be making it's own canon from here on out. Mainly because I find the idea of this story having it's own canon to be pretty freakin' awesome. And while it'll follow the same storyline structure as in the show it will go about it in a different way.**

 **I've also decided to make this a part one of two parts. The second part will be released on the 30th of December. Maybe I did it to add some drama to the story or maybe I did it because I'm a troll who enjoys making others suffer in waiting? Eh, it's one or the other.**

 **Also, I hope you all have some Happy Holidays!**

 **Next Scheduled Release:**

 **Dec. 30th: "The Knight The Wizard - Ch. 14"**

 **Make sure to Favorite, Follow, and leave a Review.**

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Chapter Thirteen

Tired...

So... Tired...

I'm so tired... of all the walking... of all the stress... of all the drama... of everything...

And yet... I can't help but move forward in spite it all...

Why was that?

Was it because of what Maria had said before?

Was it because in some weird way, I had hope that everything would go back to normal after arriving in Atlas?

That by some miracle we'd make it there, lock up the Relic of Knowledge, and somehow not only prevent the destruction of all of humanity and Faunus-kind but also rid myself of Ozpin's curse?

Maybe... Maybe...

But... Truth be told... I'm way too tired to try and think that hard about it...

I think I'll just go back to sleep and wait to leave in the morning...

I just hope I'm not too tired by then...

Nope, I'm still tired...

My arms and legs felt heavier, like someone tied massive bags of bricks to them while I was sleeping. And judging by the expression of exhaustion on everyone's face, I could tell that I wasn't the only one who was feeling this way. It was difficult but after finally getting the willpower to get up from the warm confines of my sleeping bag, I was able to get up and off the cold wooden floor just in time to see Ruby, who wore a furious expression, throw an empty wine bottle against the wall. The glass bottle shattered upon contact, effectively waking everyone up with a jolt of shock. Even Qrow, who was probably so hungover that it most likely would've take Salem, herself, bitch-slapping his drunken ass to even wake him up. But, it had appeared that Ruby was able to waking the drunken man from his stupor.

At first, Qrow looked somewhat startled by Ruby's action but upon seeing her angered expression before turning his head to see the very same wine bottle he'd obviously been drinking from was now lying shattered in pieces on the floor due to Ruby that he was finally understand what was happening around him. Slowly, he brought his hand to his face as he cracked a tired smile. And Ruby, upon seeing Qrow's tired expression, slowly wrapped her arms around her uncle's neck.

And though I couldn't hear the words she said next, I could tell that they were full of love and understanding... Heh, after all Ruby was the most loving and understanding person Id ever met in my entire life.

After their hug had finally ended and Qrow had gone outside to check and make sure that there was no Grimm in sight, the rest of us packed up our supplies plus the added additions from scavenging the house and nearby buildings. I made sure to check up on Maria, who had fallen asleep on the chair with a book labeled "III" on the hard cover. Somehow, I found it weirdly adorable that she smiled and talked in her sleep.

After I managed to successfully wake her up from her slumber, she suddenly shifted in the chair, causing the book she'd been reading to plummet to the floor with a thud. Seeing this, I reached down to pick it back up while Maria slowly dropped herself back onto the floor. When she finally turned her head up to look at me, her mechanical goggles's cyan eyes staring back at me, I smiled down at her.

"So, what was the book about?" I asked her with a tired tone of voice, upon which she gently took the book from my hands before placing it back underneath her left arm.

"A journal, part of a collection of sorts." she answered, before waddling over to the nearby bookshelf to grab another book, this one labeled "IV" on the cover. "The head of this household, Bartleby. Apparently, he and several other families founded this little settlement to try and live on their own. It sounded like it worked... At least for a spell."

The way she said those final words cause some concern to stir within the pit of my stomach.

"Grimm?" I asked her feeling only mildly confused by her statement.

An exhausted sigh barely escaped between the wrinkled lips of her mouth as she turned back to face me. "Just one of many hardships, I'm afraid. Slowed down their farming, made everything harder... It's truly a shame, really. He seemed like quite the ambitious fellow, always thinking of new schemes to overcome the odds." she said with a ghost smile on her face.

"Heh, sounds almost like Ruby in a weird way..." I said softly with a smile before noticing the all-knowing smirk she was now directing at me, causing me to huff in annoyance. "You know what I mean."

However, my words meant very little to her as she only smiled and softly chuckled before waddling slowly past me. "That I do, sonny-boy. That I do."

It wasn't until we both heard the front door swing open with a creak that we turned our attention on Ruby, who had entered the house to gather the rest of her supplies before noticing us.

"Hey guys. Qrow said we should get moving. We're gonna head out as soon as we can." she said only to earn a scoff from Maria as she quietly grumbled about being told what to do by a kid like Ruby. Honestly, I couldn't help but find her grumbling compliance a little bit humorous as I brought my gloved hand to my mouth in order to stifle my laughter. But then I saw that Ruby had made over to where I was. I watched her as she looked down onto the floor before glancing up at me. "We'll make it to Atlas, Jaune. I promise."

Ruby would have no idea just how much those words meant to me in that moment.

I was so tired of everything the world had thrown at me. All I wanted to do was sleep for the rest of my life but I knew now why it was I willing to go through all of this terrible bullshit. It was because of her. Her presence alone was enough to make me brave the storm that was my life. She was my hope for a better future.

"I know, Ruby." I said quietly, smiling at her before she reluctantly turned away to head back outside while I stayed behind in contemplation. Slowly, I turned my head towards a nearby hanging mirror, seeing my reflection. But what I saw wasn't a hopeful boy who dreamed of becoming a hero but a tired old man who was ready to close himself off to the world. Was this how Ozpin felt all those times he'd been forced to take a new host? Doomed to ruin the lives of those around him all for the sake of protecting the people of Remnant? I glanced back down at my hands before reluctantly making my way towards the front door.

Upon exiting the home of the now-deceased Bartleby, I was then greeted by the tired expression on my friends' faces. And standing before them was Yang's motorcycle, Bumblebee, now with an added trailer attached to it's backside. I watched from my standing position on the porch at Blake, who was yawning from exhaustion, with bags underneath her eyes and her feline ears folded down over the top of her head.

"Can we just go back to sleep? Or at the very least have some breakfast?" she asked with a groan.

I glanced down at her, tired just as much as she was at this point. "Do you wanna make it?" I sarcastically asked her with my right eyebrow raised above my left.

And with a huff of exhaustion, she only turned her head away from me before yawning once again. "Not really..." she slowly replied with a sigh.

She wasn't the only one who was tired after the day we'd just had. Hell, I was all the more ready to just go back into the house and sleep for the rest of my life. But something about this house was making me all the more antsy about getting as far away from this place as possible. Finally, I lfited my head to see Ruby talking with her older sister, Yang.

"You guys got the bike ready to go?" she asked, earning a silent and tired gesture from Yang before Qrow made his presence known, having just gotten back from securing the perimeter for any wayward Grimm that may give us any trouble on the way to Argus, before seeing the makeshift trailer and placing his right foot on the trailer's left-side wheel.

"Well, it's done now. So let's hook this thing up and-" However his words were quickly cut off when his uncontrollable Semblance suddenly activated, causing the right-side tire to pop, releasing tons of pressurized air and effectively making our chance to leave this place all the more unlikely. The action alone caused Qrow to groan in frustion before elderly Maria decided to put her two cents in.

"You people are just beacons for bad luck, aren't you?" she asked, only causing Qrow to become more frustrated at himself for having a Semblance that he couldn't control.

After moving away from the trailer and placing himself down onto the snow-covered ground, Qrow swiftly pulled his silver flask from his inside jacket pocket before bringing it's cap to his awaiting mouth. By this time, Yang had already taken a spt on the ground next to her motorcycle while the rest us found spots on the front porch.

"I'm starting to think the universe just doesn't want us getting to Atlas..." said Yang with a sigh of exhaustion.

And I couldn't help but find her words humorous as I chuckled softly at them. "Please, don't even get me started on what the universe does or doesn't want. I'm stuck with an immortal parasite who'll eventually take control of my body and I'll be nothing more than a forgotten memory. For all I know, I could wake up the very next day with Ozpin taking full control of my body and I wouldn't be able to do a single fuckin' thing about it..." I said with a sarcastic smile before noting the stern but saddened frown on Ruby's face before she released a sigh.

"Everything will be fine. It's just a flat tire, I'm sure there's a spare somewhere around here." she said, trying to sound even the tiniest bit hopeful despite the universe clearly taking immense pleasure in our misery.

But, unlike the innocently hopeful Ruby Rose, the rest of us were tired of it all. All the running, the fighting, the drama, literally everything was out to get us and we weren't even prepared for it.

"It's not just that, Ruby. It's... Everything. The storms, crashes, monsters... Hell, Jaune may not even be Jaune by the time we make it to Atlas..." said Yang before Blake decided to throw in her own pessimistic two cents into the conversation.

"That is if we even make it there at all..." said Blake, trying to rub the tired out of her eyes to no avail.

"We're just tired... Of everything." said Yang, finishing her sentence with an long exhausted sigh.

"Yeah. But that's what we signed up for." said Ruby, causing me to turn and look at her with my eyes narrowed and my right eyebrow raised in question.

"Really? You're telling me I signed up to become a glorified humanoid taxi service to a nigh-immortal parasitic wizard. Who, not to mention, will eventually hijack my body and ruin my dreams of becoming a Huntsman as well as take me away from my loved ones. You're telling me that THAT'S what I signed up for when I chose to attend Beacon?" I asked, feeling very agitated by her words and of everything that had happened to us so far.

"W-What? No! that's not what I meant." said Ruby, bringing her hands up to her chest.

"And what about Pyrrha, huh? Do you REALLY think that she wanted to be killed at the hands of some power-hungry bitch? That she wanted to be used as some pawn in Ozpin and Salem's game? Do you honestly think she signed up for that?!" I asked, feeling more and more angry despite the feeling of exhaustion that was washing over me with every word.

The look on Ruby's face nearly tore me to pieces but I couldn't stop myself. "How in the hell was THIS what we signed up for when we all attended Beacon Academy? We signed up to become heroes. To right the wrongs of our pasts. To seek adventure and glory. To protect those that couldn't protect themselves. We signed up to fight the Grimm. WE DID NOT SIGN UP TO BE USED AS SACRIFICIAL PAWNS! I DID NOT SIGN UP TO BECOME THE NEXT OZPIN!" I shouted at her as a massive weight of stress seemed to lift from my very being before plummeting back down upon as I saw the tears that threatened to fall from Ruby's silver eyes.

But I couldn't take it back... Though I know I wanted to... It wasn't until Weiss spoke up that it seemed to pull everyone's attention away from my meltdown.

"Why are we even going to Atlas?" Weiss suddenly asked, ending the argument between Ruby and I and bringing everyone's attention to the snow-haired heiress that sat upon the wooden porch steps. Everyone shared the same troubled expression as her words took on a whole new meaning for each and every one of us.

"Weiss, we have to." said Ruby before turning her head to see Yang rising to her feet.

"But, why though?" she asked aloud, turning everyone's attention onto her. "Ozpin hid the Relics behind giant doors under enormous schools literally filled with Huntsmen and Huntresses, but... How long would it take Salem to find a lamp in the middle of nowhere?" asked Yang, her words actually make some sense in a weird sort of way.

It was true, though.

Salem knew that the Relics were buried beneath the schools in the main kingdoms but that didn't mean she'd know where the Relics would be if they were buried somewhere else. Hell, even Ozpin had to probably spend DECADES trying to find the Relic of Knowledge just to find out where the other Relics where hidden. What's to say that the same couldn't be said for Salem?

"What? The Grimm might-" started Ruby before Yang silenced her argument with a hand on her shoulder.

"They'd find it eventually, sure, but bury it or just throw down the well, it would take years. It might not even happen in our lifetime. But we could be done with it now." said Yang, gesturing to the well as Ruby slowly detached the Relic from her belt. Her twin pools of bottomless silver glanced down at the relic in her hands before rising to meet our own. And slowly, but surely, she made her way towards the well with the relic in hand.

Wait. Why was she walking towards the well?

So that she can drop the Relic into it.

But we need to get it to Atlas.

What are the odds that Salem would even find it here?

And what are the odds she does?

But then I can finally be free to rest and rid myself of everything. I'm just... so tired...

Yeah... Me... Too...

So... Tired...

"I am... really... tired..." said Ruby, slurring her words as she walked towards the edge of the well with the Relic in hand.

NO!! Stop her! We have to stop her!

I'd rather not... I'd rather just go back to bed...

No! You don't understand! If she drops that then all hope is lost!

Hope? Why bother trying to hope when you can sleep?

Because if we sleep then we will die!

Then at least it'll be a peaceful death...

Suddenly, I found myself standing next to Ruby, my gloved hand wrapped around her wrist as she held the Relic dangling over the seemingly bottomless black pit of the well. How did I move so fast? Why was I trying to stop her? If we just drop it down the well then everything would finally be over. So then why was I still here, stopping her from doing so? I stood there, keeping my weirdly steel grip on Ruby's wrist when all of a sudden Ruby's eyes widened in shock before jumping out of my grip and releasing her hold on the Relic's handle, dropping it into the dark abyss below.

"Ah! No! No! No! I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to!" shouted Ruby, turning towards me to grip my hoodie with her two hands.

And while I wanted to tell her that it was alright and that everything would be fine the remained of Team RWBY slowly made their way towards the two of us, each of them with dazed looks on their faces.

"Ruby, it's okay." said Weiss, sound more and more tired with every word she spoke.

But Ruby wasn't having it as she grew more stir-crazy as the moment went on. "No! No, there's something down there! I saw it! It was looking right at me!" she shouted, as a flash of memory caused me to clench my head in pain. But just before I could remember the memory was gone just as quickly as it arrived.

"Hey, it's okay." said Yang, placing her hand on her sister's shoulder. "You just said you're tired. It's probably nothing. Now let's go..."

Ruby, now seething with furious annoyance, swatted Yang's hand off before taking a step back. "What is wrong with all of you?! We can't just leave! We have to go down there! We have to get the lamp back!" she shouted in anger before bringing her right palm to her face. "Oh, what was I thinking?!"

"It doesn't matter." said Qrow, getting more and more agitated as the argument went on. "All we have to do is fix this trailer. Hey, Spellsword, check the shed for a spare." he said, directing his words towards me.

"I'm not leaving without the lamp!" Ruby shouted, her silver eyes narrowing at the sight of us and our dazed expressions before Blake released a heavily exhausted sigh from her mouth.

"I'll go down with you..." she said tiredly.

"We'll go down together." said Weiss, proposing that the entirety of Team RWBY should be the ones to go down there and search for the Relic.

Suddenly, Qrow abruptly rose to his feet with sour expression on his face. "FINE! Get the stupid fucking lamp. Jaune, fix the stupid tire." he said as he made his way towards the front door of the farmhouse, passing Maria, who was busy reading on the porch steps.

"And where do you think you're going?" she asked, earning his ire as he pulled out his silver flask and shook it in her face.

"Where do you think?" he asked sarcastically as he turned his back and walked back into the house, causing Maria to look back down, shaking her head in disappointment.

"Stupid..." she mumbled quietly before returning to the book she'd been reading.

Meanwhile, I watched as Team RWBY jumped down into the well, with Ruby staying behind to look at me. "I'm sorry... For what I said." I said as she smiled softly in kind before standing on the tips of her toes to place a chaste kiss on my left cheek before jumping down into the well without another word. Slowly, I placed my left hand on my cheek as a warm feeling enveloped my chest. I blatantly ignored the knowing smirk on Maria's face as I walked off towards a nearby shed for a spare tire.

Upon opening the shed's double doors I was greeted by the sight of three metal shelves stocked with tools and mechanical supplies. In the corner was a pressurized air tank and a spare tire that was just the right size, or at least close enough to fit the trailer. Seeing them, I grabbed the two items and made my way back to the trailer where I then saw Maria still reading the book in her hands. Without much exchange between us, I began to work on the replacing the popped tire with the spare. Afterwards, I flipped the switch on the pump and began to inflate the spare tire with extra pressurized air. After another minute or two the spare tire was ready to be placed onto the trailer when I looked up to see that Maria was gone from my sight. It wasn't until I turned around to see her about to hop down into the well that my eyes widened in shock. Reacting quickly, I dropped the tire onto the snow-covered ground and raced off to grab her just in time. But instead of thanking me, she instead struck the top of my head with her skull-headed cane.

"OW!" I shouted, clenching my head in pain before my Aura reacted and slowly made the pain feel numb. "What was that for?!" I shouted her before having her shove the skull-headed cane in my face.

"Do you love that girl?" she suddenly asked, catching me off guard.

"What?" I asked in confusion before she shoved the skull-headed cane closer to my face, it's round head just inches away from my nose.

"I said... Do you love that girl?" she asked again, this time with a stern expression on her face. "Because if you don't then she will die down there with the rest of your friends."

"W-Wait a damn second!" I shouted loudly. "What the hell are you even talking about?" I asked her one final time before she turned her back on me and glanced back down into the well.

"From what I've seen so far I believe that girl has enough hope within herself that she could very well be considered to be the living embodiment of hope, itself. And hope is what those things devour." she said quietly, causing my eyes to widen at her words.

"What things?" I asked her before forcibly turning her around to face me. "Maria, what's going on?"

"I know now how those people died... It was the Apathy." she said before turning back to face the well. "And right now, we're the only ones that stand between them and the remaining hope that girl possesses. So, I'll ask again... Do you love that girl? Do you love her enough to fight through the darkness? To brave the heaviest storms? To continue forward towards the unknown? Do you love her enough to fight against fate, itself?"

I don't know why her words struck a cord with me... It was true that I loved Ruby. More than I should've... But I was already doomed to fail the moment I was born into this world. But... That didn't mean that Ruby was born to fail... That she was doomed to repeat a viscous cycle of death and reincarnation. It was in that moment that I felt a strange feeling of determination fill my very being. Without another word, I pulled Maria off of the well and onto my back as I climbed onto the well's edge with my weapon at the ready.

"As if you even need to ask." I said, looking back at her with a smirk before taking a leap of faith in the dark abyss below.

And as we plummeted into that dark abyss before crashing into a dark river beneath the well a feeling of dread slowly began to consume me. But, luckily, I had Maria to steer me in the right direction as she pointed at the path before us. Silently, I nodded my head in agreement as I ran off down the flowing underground sewage line with Maria on my back. Strangely, it felt like I'd done this very action before. Almost as if I'd carried her on my back multiple times already. But I couldn't afford to get into it now as the second I rounded a nearby corner I found myself stopping dead in my tracks at the sight of the group of monstrosities before me.

There, standing just in front of Team RWBY, who looked like they were practically struggling to hold their very weapons, was an entire group of frail skeletal Grimm. This was the Apathy that Maria had mentioned before. This was the thing that caused the residents of Brunswick Farms to die in their sleep. Fear slowly began to consume my very being as I found myself unable to move at the sight of them.

"RUN!" shouted Maria, causing Team RWBY to turn back and see us standing just behind them. "NOW!" she commanded once more, finally getting Team RWBY to find the strength to pull themselves back up just in the nick of time as the Apathy was slowly making their way towards us.

And so we ran down the lengthy maze of the underground sewage as more and more of the Apathy slowly chased us down. We ran and ran as fast as we could but every corner at every turn we made seemed to bring us closer and closer into the awaiting arms of the Apathy. It wasn't until we finally made it to an underground room through a hole in the wall that we thought we had finally made it safety... That is until the screeching scream of the Apathy violated our ear canals, causing us to fall onto our knees as a massive wave of exhaustion slowly began to take over our bodies. Even Maria, who was riding on my back had fall to the floor due to the Apathy's scream.

"I can't... Do this... I can't..." said Yang, slurring her words as we all tried desperately to continue forward.

I watched through half-lidded eyes as Maria struggled to prop herself up on her cane before collapsing again. Her head glanced upward as her cyan goggles widened in realization before turning back to face us.

"There's an exit!" she shouted, giving us some tiny glimmer of hope as we all slowly crawled our way towards the exit.

But then the Apathy screamed once again and I found myself collapsing onto the floor, unable to move my own body as I laid on the cold floor. So, this was how I died, huh? I felt as if my body weighed a ton as I glanced up to see the shock and saddened expression on Ruby's face at the sight of me.

Don't be sad, Ruby... It's better this way... With the Apathy busy eating me then it'll give you all a chance to escape...

"Jaune... get up... please..." I heard her plea as I felt my eyelids grow heavier and heavier.

"It's fine, Ruby... I'm just... so tired..." I said quietly as I felt the presence of the Apathy grow ever more closer towards me as i slowly closed my eyes, welcoming myself into the world of darkness.

I'm tired...


	14. A Moment of Peace

**Greetings everyone,**

 **Welcome back to the fourteenth chapter of "The Knight The Wizard".**

 **I'll be honest here, this** **chapter was a bitch and a half to write because I was dealing with some serious writer's block and work-related shit. I'm not even joking right now, I actually thought about quitting my stories** **because of the level of stress of trying to balance work, a social life, and getting a chapter out every week was causing me. It was why I decided to go with "Release a chapter or more when I can" plan.**

 **As such, this chapter might feel lackluster or rushed but it was best I could do with the little time I had.**

 **Remember that from now on, or until I can get back into the groove of things, chapters will now only be released whenever I find the time to work on them but that does mean that I should be able to release multiple chapters at once when I have some free time.**

 **I'm sorry if this bothers anyone but the stress of trying to make it in a new job and this is just getting to be too much. And believe me when I say that I do enjoy writing these stories for you. But it's just getting more and more stressful as it goes on. It's why I'm changing the story schedule so that I can hopefully preserve that passion for wiritng.**

 **Important Author's Notes at the end of the chapter! Make sure to read it.**

 **Next Scheduled Release Date:**

 **Some time in January...**

 **Make sure to Favorite, Follow, and leave a Review.**

 **I hope you all have a happy New Year!**

 **Till next time!**

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Chapter Thirteen

Darkness consumed my vision as I felt myself growing ever weaker with every passing breath. My will to go on was draining more and more with every step the Apathy made towards me. And though the desperate expression on Ruby's face was enough to make me want to try my hardest... I just couldn't... I was tired of everything...

The shambling footsteps of the Apathy echoed in the darkness of my mind as their power over my will to live grew ever more. Were these going to be the monsters we'd end up facing the further we went along with this journey? Were these going to be the so-called "adventures" we'd end up having if we continued going towards Atlas? Maybe it was because of the Apathy or maybe it was because of my slowly dying will to live but it seemed that with every step I took on this journey the further and further away I got from why I decided to become a Huntsman.

Flashes of memories appeared before my vision. Moments in time where I was nothing but a child playing with his older sisters while others were moments of when I had my first kiss... Pyrrha's death... Meeting Ruby... Becoming the leader of a team... Dealing with Nora's antics... Attending my sister's wedding as the flower girl...

Yeah, I was the flower girl. You got a problem with that?

But then the flashes of memories began to change.

Now I was but an elderly man with my back laying against the rough trunk of a tree. Tombstones as far as my weakened eyes could see. So many lives taken... So many families torn apart... All because I failed to stop her... Failed to change her... My mistakes are why so many men, women, and children were now buried six-feet beneath the dirt. But even despite the guilt and remorse that filled my heart as I overlooked the sea of unnamed tombstones I couldn't help but find the sunrise to be the second most beautiful thing I'd ever seen in my life. Maybe that was why I was content to die right then and there? I failed in this life but... Maybe I could fix everything in the next one... Maybe... Just maybe... I could finally see Salem smile again...

However, that smile never came as the memories changed once again. Now I could hardly remember any memory at all. Most, if not all, of them were drowned out long ago by the alcohol. I remember spending nearly all of my time just attempting to drown my sorrows with drinks. Beyond those memories of trying to forget my mistakes I remember the numerous times I tried to take my own life... But each attempt was foiled by my host's soul... Each and every time I'd try to take my life he'd regain control and stop me... And each and every time he did so he'd always tell me the same thing... "If you're going to kill yourself then do it with your own damn hands."

I'm not sure when the memories began to change but change they did as my vision was now being flooded with memories of times spent with my family. Or in this case, I suppose they would be considered to be my host's family. And for the first time in my multiple lives I was partnered with a host that didn't refuse my presence. Instead, he almost seemed to welcome me into his life with open arms and friendly smiles. Together we learned of the powers of his children's silver eyes and being a man that was once known throughout the world as a great hero that fought for justice and honor, I had decided to do everything in my power to help mold them into proud warriors while at the same time attempting to learn everything I could about the world. Heh, I could still remember the days when my host's daughter, who I treated as my own, would attempt to show off her skills as a warrior. And I could still remember always reprimanding her for doing so. But no matter how often she did it, I couldn't help but be proud of my little Grimm Reaper. And for the first time in my multiple lives... I was determined to save them from my mistakes.

But soon those memories of spending time with my family changed once again. Now, I was but a man belonging to one of the most esteemed families in all of Atlas history. I also remember my host being one of the most insufferable men I'd ever have the displeasure of meeting. From his arrogance over what he considered to be "undesirables" to his atrocious treatment of the Faunus. Every moment spent with him was another moment I wanted to blow his gods damned brains out. And though I hated myself for what I'd been forced to do. I had no choice but to forcefully take control of his body. I needed to change the world but I'd never be able to do so if he was in control. I remember the moments after I'd forcefully taken possession of my host's body as if they'd just happen moments prior. I did everything with the new financial power in my hand to help the Faunus. I personally funded peace rallies and Faunus orphanages and eventually I funded the building process of the Kingdom of Menagerie. But even then I spent most of my time in search of the Relics, learning their powers, and how to use them properly. I needed to keep them out of Salem's hands... Because I knew that she were to have them she'd do the one thing I always feared...

But like many lives before they never made it long as the memories changed once more. Now, I was but a student at one of the many academies I helped create. The times I'd spent trying to prevent my teammates from killing one another perhaps caused me to start drinking coffee. One could hardly ever sleep with the sheer destruction they'd leave in their wake. Not to mention the moments spent trying to prevent my team from starting a fight with another team. A team of individuals that reminded me of so many allies I'd had in the past. From an arrogant dusty crow to a quiet tempered raven to pun-making brawling dragon to a sweet and innocent silver rose. The times I spent with them reminded me of why I chose to continue fighting. But it wasn't until I was much older that I began to realize my mistakes were slowly coming back... My inability to make a move... My inability to prevent the destruction of my school... The pain and torment I felt when I was forced to witness my own kingdom become ruins... The guilt and remorse I felt when I was killed by Cinder Fall...

I remember it all... All the pain... All the misery... Every mistake Ozpin had ever made in the multiple lives He'd lived... Every part of me wanted nothing more than to give up and allow myself to be devoured by the Apathy.

But then through the darkness of my subconscious I heard a sweet and innocent voice call out to me followed by a brief flash of silvery-white light that seemed to forcefully pull me towards it. And as the blinding silvery light grew brighter and brighter my vision was bombarded with brief flashes of a smiling silver eyed girl. I witnessed flashes of memories from our times spent watching the X-Ray Vav cartoon series to the times where we'd do nothing but talk. I couldn't stop myself from loving this girl even if I wanted to. She was everything I wanted to be. Determined. Brave. Caring. Generous.

And as I opened my eyes, the sun's soft glow welcoming me to the waking world, that very same girl's face reappeared over my head as tears seemed to stream down her reddened cheeks and plummet onto my forehead. Slowly, I reached out with my right hand to caress her cheek, shocking her and causing me to smile.

"So, did you beat the bad guys, Crater Face?" I asked with a tired but genuine smile as she grasped my hand with her own, the smile on her face as tears continued to flow from her closed eyes.

"Yeah... I did... Vomit Boy..." she said between some choked up sobs.

"Heh, I knew you could." I said as she opened her eyes, revealing to me those beautiful pools of silver. It was in that moment that I realized a simple truth. This life I'd chosen was always going to filled with danger. And there was no telling exactly how long I'd last as a Huntsman. Maybe this wasn't the right moment. Maybe there never is a "right" moment. But all be damned if I was going to let this moment pass me by. I already missed one chance to tell someone I loved them. I wasn't about to miss this one. "I love you, Ruby." I said, stunning her as her eyes widened at my words before they closed as she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"I-I love you too, Jaune." she said through more choked up sobs and whimpers.

I swear I could literally FEEL the knowing smirks Maria and Qrow were giving me as they watched us. Though I was glad that they opted to stay silent and just allow us to enjoy this brief moment of peace. After all, this may be the last time we'd ever get such a moment.

And just like every OTHER moment of peace, it also didn't last long as the ringing chime from my scroll brought a loud annoyance to my ears. But when I reached down into my pocket for it, my eyes widened at the sight of Nora's smiling face on the caller's ID directly above the name she forcibly chose for herself "Nora, Queen of the Castle". Immediately, I pushed myself off of Ruby's lap, only feeling slightly disappointed that I couldn't lay there just a little bit longer, and quickly answered the call.

"Nora? Is that really you?" I asked before quickly realizing how stupid of question it was.

"Jaune! REN! IT'S JAUNE! HE'S NOT DEAD! I REPEAT HE'S NOT DEAD!" shouted Nora, her voice becoming static as she shouted at Ren while I, myself, could only sigh and facepalm myself at her words.

Before long, Ren took the scroll from Nora's hand, his face appearing in the camera of Nora's scroll with a smile. "Jaune, it's good to see you alive and well."

"Eh, I wouldn't say we're doing well but we are alive so that's gotta count for something, right?" I asked, chuckling as now I couldn't wait to tell them what they missed out on.

"That it does. I'm just relieved to see you're all alright. Nora and I have been checking our scrolls for your signal since we made it to Argus." said Ren, smiling when Ruby decided to speak up, placing herself directly next to me so that she could appear in the scroll's camera.

"The city? Wait a second... Jaune, can I borrow your scroll?" she asked before I handed the device to her. Upon which she then maneuvered the device towards a nearby road that led towards a hill with very little snow. Without another word, Ruby turned to Yang, nodding her head ever so slightly as Yang then turned the motorbike around and drove directly towards the hill.

And as we road up the hill at breakneck speeds, the sun's glorious rays basking the horizon in a heavenly afterglow, I felt a soft grasp on my hand. Turning my head, I saw the smiling face of Ruby looking at the magnificent walled city of Argus like it was a fairy tale kingdom. I was definitely sure that in that moment everyone had the exact same expression of joy and relief. I say that it was about damn time we caught a break for once. So, fuck it. Let's just enjoy the sun's rays and the calm drive towards the walled city of Argus.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived in Argus." proclaimed Yang with a smile as she then proceeded to drive us towards the city's entrance.

Along the way towards the walled city, Ruby and the others regaled me with the tale of how Ruby was able to defeat the Apathy with the powers of her silver eyes. Turns out that Ruby is part of a long line of ancient warriors, all of whom had silver eyes, that could completely vanquish any Grimm in their sight. I was also told of how Maria was once a silver eyed warrior herself before tragically losing them to an assassin named Tock. I was especially surprised to hear that she was once a proud and legendary hero known throughout Remnant as the Grimm Reaper. That alone caused me to become even more surprised than ever before. My eyes widened at the name as a brief flash of memories appeared before my eyes. In the flash was a dark skinned girl with silver eyes smiling up at me as I looked down at her. It was in the moment that I realized why I was so comfortable with Maria despite barely knowing her. Why I was often proud of her for standing up to Yang's attitude and why I often felt like she needed to be protected.

Maria Calavera was the daughter of one Ozpin's previous hosts.

That meant Maria was MY daughter, at least in spirit.

Man, talk about diverging from the plot, huh?

Upon our arrival, we were met with armed guards who all checked our identifications before allowing us to park Yang's motorbike and the trailer in a nearby garage. I stood there, basking in the warmth that was swelling in my chest as I watched the pedestrians of Argus go about their business. The smile on my face must've been louder than I thought because the next thing I knew was Ruby standing next to me, holding my hand. The two of us couldn't stop the blushes that made our cheeks redder than apples at the sound of Maria snickering and Qrow's very loud and obnoxious all knowing smirk.

"It's about damn time, Spellsword." said Qrow, taking another swig from his silver flask.

"You're telling me, I thought I'd be long dead before you finally decided to admit it." Maria readily agreed, causing my blush to become deeper as I remembered that her mother was also a silver eyed warrior.

But then, suddenly I felt a heavy force clash against my chest before I then found myself lying on my back with a very familiar bubbly ginger-haired girl in pink hugging me tighter than a vice. Smiling, I rubbed the girl's head, affectionately as she looked up at me with a smile just as another familiar raven-haired boy walked up to us before kneeling down to our level and proceeded to wrap his arms around the two of us.

"We're so glad you're okay." said Nora, smiling as she held me tighter than before as if she thought that she let go I'd float up into the sky like a balloon.

"Hey, I promised that I'd come back, didn't I?" I asked with a chuckle as I heard a soft laugh from Nora's mouth.

"Yeah, you did." she said before reluctantly released her hold on my body and allowing the three of us to rise to our feet.

Ren and I both looked towards one another as we both reached out to meet the other's hand before pulling each other into a one armed hug.

"It's good to see you again, Jaune." said Ren.

"Same to you, Ren." I responded before feeling a tap on my left shoulder, causing me to turn and see Nora pointing her thumb in Maria's direction.

"So, who's the old lady?" she asked, causing me to chuckle at the sight of Maria's sour expression at the words "old lady".

Later on, we were all able to board a trolley that traveled further into the city of Argus. Each of us watched the scenery of Mistral-themed housing mixed with Atlas technology. It was amazing what humanity could do if it settled it's differences aside and worked together. And I had to say that it was welcomed change from the harsh winter wilderness.

"It's a lot bigger than I thought it'd be." said Yang, who was leaning against the trolley's wall.

"It's actually one of the largest non-capital cities in all of Remnant." answered Ren, causing Ruby, who was sitting next to me, to gasp at his words.

"No way!" she comically exclaimed, bringing her hands to her cheeks before she slowly began to realize something. "But wait, wouldn't it be harder to settle something this big away from the main kingdom?"

"Originally it was, until Mantle arrived. Early settlement attempts by the kingdom of Mistral were fraught with failures. But the colonists who came from Mantle were able to help them brave the cold climate and return goods that Solitas couldn't provide." Ren answered before looking out into the scenery of moving buildings and passing civilians. "The two nations worked together to create a hybrid city. While it falls under Mistral domain, Atlas keeps a military presence here to help keep the people safe and keep trade between the two nations steady."

"Well, until recently..." said Nora, causing us all to look at her in confusion and slight worry when suddenly the trolley stopped at the top of the road.

After disembarking the trolley, the others decided to discuss the next part of the plan to go to Atlas while Ruby, Nora, Ren, and I continued talking. "So, where have you guys been staying?" I asked then before noticing the brief but not well hidden snicker from Nora, causing me to raise an eyebrow at her before my attention was pulled away by Ren clearing his throat.

"Well, originally we were planning to stay in an inn but as luck would have it we were able to meet a very kind individual that after hearing of our plight allowed us entrance into her home. But, it wasn't until we arrived that we were able to quickly notice that she had a connection to one of the people in our group." explained Ren.

"Really? Who is it?" I asked before feeling a sudden drop in pressure at the sound of high-pitched joyous voice.

"There you are!" exclaimed a woman's voice. One that I was more than familiar with from all of those torturous days as the only boy surrounded by seven older sisters.

As the trolley pulled away, revealing a familiar blonde woman on the other side of the road, I felt all manner of panic well up inside of my chest. Her eyes widened at the sheer sight of me as she brought her hand to her open mouth. I couldn't blame her for what she must've been feeling in that moment. I mean I never even bothered to call her and tell her I was okay after the fall of Beacon. As far as she knew I was most likely in a hospital or, even more likely, dead underneath piles of rubble. And then to hear from two complete strangers that her own little brother was alive and more importantly was traveling to Atlas through the untamed wilderness of Mistral must've done wonders to her psyche. I knew better than most that she would always try to hide her stress behind a mask of smiles. It was the same way I tired to hide my stress and anxiety.

It made sense when one thought about it. After all, this was my older sister I was talking about.

"J-Jaune? Is it really you?" she asked, as some lone drops of tears streamed down her face as she slowly made her way towards me, bring a hand to meet my cheek as I smiled at her.

"Hey, Saph." I said with a weak smile. "Heh, long time no see, huh?"

Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around my neck, forcibly pulling me into a tight and affectionate embrace. To which I responded by wrapping my wraps around her with a smile.

So, let's recap, shall we?

Just yesterday morning, we learned about the Relic of Knowledge and what it could do. Then the train we were riding on was ambushed by the Grimm all because of said Relic before it crashed and left us stranded in the middle of nowhere with an elderly woman. Then we learned the secrets Ozpin was hiding from us. And even after finding shelter from the snowstorm we were once again caught off guard by a fearsome Grimm none of us were prepared to face. Then I was bombarded with memories of Ozpin's past lives. And after ALL OF THAT I admitted that I was in love with Ruby Rose. And all of this happened in the span of a day and a half.

I knew for a fact that Saphron was going to grill me over this one.

I just hope she doesn't pull out those embarrassing pictures of me as a kid.

"So, you got any embarrassing pictures of Vomit Boy as a kid?" asked Yang with an evil smirk. An expression Saphron was all the more ready for as she returned Yang's evil smirk with one of her own.

"Let's go inside and I'll show you EVERYTHING." said Saphron as she led the others into her home, leaving me to stand alone on the sidewalk.

Goddamn it, Yang...

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 **Alright, I want to address the elephant in the room and explain exactly why I made Maria the daughter of one of Ozpin's previous hosts.**

 **When I first saw that one of Ozpin's hosts had a family with two silver eyed kids I couldn't help but think of the possibilities. And then when it was revealed that Maria was also a silver eyed warrior my imagination went wild!**

 **This had so much potential for story development!**

 **One, it would give both Ruby and Oscar some much needed character development.**

 **Two, we'd be able to see how Maria would deal with the knowledge that someone close to her was in actuality a completely different person who treated her like a daughter.**

 **And three, it would finally give Oscar some he could talk to. He'd be able to see exactly why Ozpin is paired with similar thinking individuals.**

 **Those are the reasons I decided to make Jaune the spiritual father figure of Maria Calavera.**

 **Props out to "Ouroborosdragon" for picking up on this headcanon.**

 **Also, calling right here. Maria Calavera is definitely based Santa Maria.**

 **Till next time!**


	15. Bonds, Part One

**Greetings everyone!**

 **Welcome back to the 15th chapter of "The Knight The Wizard".**

 **Alright, so speaking honestly, I was writing this chapter when I just suddenly felt like it was chore to continue doing so. So, after taking a break from writing I was glad that when I got back on the creative juices just kept on a-flowin'.**

 **And yes, I am aware of the whole Ozpin, Jaune, and Maria is definitely stretching the imagination but I say it's worth it for this story. And yes, I know that the "IT Guy" wasn't a silver-eyed warrior but I do know that the two kids he had were silver-eyed warriors. Now, the odds of the daughter being Maria are, well, astronomical at best, but I couldn't help but imagine how the story would play out if this was the actual case. And note that Maria never actually said whether or not her father was a silver-eyed warrior like herself just that he was the one to teach her about them. This could mean that while he, himself, wasn't a silver-eyed warrior that he could've gained the knowledge about them through ancient text or even first-hand knowledge from someone who knew about the silver-eyed warriors, say like from an ancient reincarnating wizard?**

 **I'm also aware that I didn't put in Qrow and Yang's reaction to Jaune professing his love to Ruby right in front of them but as I stated before I was prepped for time but I'll make sure to address it in this chapter as well.**

 **Remember that these chapters WILL NOT be a set schedule, though I will TRY to upload every OTHER Sunday, at least for the time being until I can get more comfortable into balancing work, a social life, and everything else in general. Though this does mean that I should be able to upload multiple chapters at once but only time will be able to tell.**

 **I will also instead be releasing one chapter for each story I'm currently working on so that I don't burn myself out on one story and lose any passion for writing. This will be the order of updating so you can all check out the stories whenever you want in order to be caught up on what's happening in the other stories.**

 **1\. The Knight & The Wizard.**

 **2\. Operation: Jaune's Dastardly Revenge.**

 **3\. The Master Huntsman.**

 **4\. Don't Mess With An Arc.**

 **5\. The Arcful Dodger.**

 **Make sure to Favorite, Follow, and leave a Review.**

 **Till next time!**

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Chapter Fifteen

It's official... I hate my life... I was quite literally BEGGING for Salem to just barge in through the door and bisect me with a sword. Seriously, how long does it take for your so-called friends to stop laughing at all of your embarrassing baby pictures?!

Hell, even Ruby, my own girlfriend, was laughing at my baby pictures!

Huh, girlfriend...

I'll be honest, I still felt a little bit awkward knowing that I, Jaune Arc, now had a girlfriend.

HA! Take that every girl who rejected me! Ruby is 100 times better than all of you combined!

But still, despite the embarrassment I was receiving from my friends as they all continued to look at my baby pictures, I couldn't help but find this brief moment of peace, well, peaceful. To finally have a moment of peace despite everything that had happened to us was a welcome change even if we knew it wouldn't last forever, no matter how much we desperately wanted it to be. Still, at the very least we deserved a breather before we made the harrowing journey to Atlas.

It wasn't until I felt Ruby poking my chin that I reluctantly removed my arm from my shielding my eyes. Her beautiful silver eyes shining like beacons in the dark while her childish smile warmed my heart to a near melting point. In my eyes, Ruby was brave, caring, childish, a weapons otaku, a dork and everything else in between. And I couldn't stop loving her even if I wanted to.

"I can't believe I'm meeting your sister, Jaune!" Ruby happily exclaimed before turning to face my older sister, Saphron. "I have SO many questions!"

"Oh, I can give you the rundown later!" interrupted Nora, flashing me one of her trademarked "I'm going to make you die from embarrassment" looks, causing me in turn to grab one of the couch pillows and cover my face with it.

I wonder if I could suffocate myself to death before I died from any more embarrassment?

Finally, after having enough of my friends embarrassing me, I removed the pillow from my face and rose back into a sitting position on the couch. Thus allowing me to see most of my friends were still busy looking through one of my old baby picture books. "Will you guys knock it off already?" I asked annoyingly before hearing Saphron try to suppress her giggles.

"Hey this is what you get for not calling me to tell me you were safe. You did the crime so you have to do the time." said Saphron, smiling as she reached over to pinch my cheek. "Besides, I LOVE telling stories about my BABY brother."

Hearing my own older sister refer to me as her BABY brother was more annoying than any number of embarrassment baby pictures, though not by much, as I groaned at her title for me. "I am NOT a baby! THAT is a baby!" I exclaimed, pointing my index finger at my nephew, Adrian, who huffed at me in response and thus causing both Yang and Weiss to go all goo-goo eyed at my nephew.

"So Saphron, you're the only Arc living here?" asked Blake, as she continued looking at the many family pictures on the wall. Thought the one that seemed the grab her attention was clearly the one where I was wearing pigtails and holding a sign the said "HELP" while my other sisters did their own things.

I swear that was one of the WORST family picture days we ever had.

"Yep!" Saphron happily exclaimed. "Moved the second I could. Jaune and I are the only two living away from home. I guess he just wanted to be like his big sis." she said in a teasing voice, causing me to groan in annoyance.

"Can someone please just shoot me already?" I begged as Saphron continued to tease me to no end.

"Aw, you didn't deny it!" she said in a teasing tone.

Suddenly, the sound of Saphron's front door squeaking open caused us all to turn our attention onto the entrance where a dark-haired woman with glasses and carrying some bags of groceries was now standing as she looked at the sheer number of people that were sitting in her living room.

"Everyone, this is my wife, Terra Cotta." said Saphron, introducing her wife, who smiled in response.

"Hello!" greeted Ruby, waving her hand sporadically with a smile plastered onto her face.

"Hey there!" said Nora, doing the same as Ruby.

"Nice to meet you." said Blake, putting the family picture back onto the shelf where it belonged.

Finally it was my turn to greet myself as I pushed myself off of the couch and walked my way towards Terra with a smile on my face. Upon seeing me, Terra placed the groceries onto the floor and pulled me into a tight embrace. "It's good to see you again, Terra." I said, smiling as we hugged each other as tight as we could.

"It's good to see you again too, Jaune." Terra agreed as she pulled away but not before looking at me with a worried expression on her face. "We've been worried sick about you ever since we saw the broadcast from Beacon... I don't know what we'd do if something were to happen to you."

"I know... I'm sorry... I should've called sooner but everything's just been so..."

"Hectic?" she asked, causing me to chuckle in response.

"Heh, something like that." I said, scratching the back of my head.

"Well at least you're okay now. That's all that matters in my book." said Terra, pulling me into one last hug before reaching down to pick up the groceries. "Hun, can I get some help in the kitchen please?" she asked aloud as Saphron pushed herself off of the couch and made her way to the kitchen.

And as I turned back to face my friends as they continued to chat and have what little fun they could have I couldn't help but feel a sens of dread hanging above us. I knew that this moment wouldn't last forever just like I, myself, wouldn't last forever. But I also knew that deep down that all I cared about was making sure that they all made it Atlas as safely as possible. Even if it meant that I wasn't there with them. Still, at the very least I could enjoy this brief moment of peace by spending it with my friends and family.

And so, we spent the remainder of the time just enjoy one another's company. Watching TV, telling stories (though they were mainly Yang trying to interrogate Saphron about anything I did as a kid), and anything else that could keep us from undergoing our next journey through Grimm-infested terrain. We were even able to enjoy the tasty sandwiches we made as we all sat in the living room with my sister and her family.

"And you're sure it's alright if we stay with you?" asked Ruby, still holding onto her sandwich.

"Of course, we're happy to house Huntsmen and Huntresses." said Saphron, putting Ruby's fears to bed as Terra readily agreed at her wife.

"You all risk so much to keep people like us safe. It's the least we can do." she said before turning to look at Qrow. "Especially for such an elite Huntsman like yourself. Although, I will say I was surprised to learn you had students helping you. Is that even... legal?" she asked, causing someone of us to widen our eyes and look at Qrow, praying that he had a believable excuse for Terra.

"Uh, of course. Think of it as an extended training mission. Trust me, I was a professor. Even went to the same academy as them. Let me tell ya, these kids are way better than we were at their age." said Qrow, not exactly explaining himself but also not granting Terra a valid reason to call on his bullshit. As far as the people outside of Vale knew the survivors were either sent to other kingdoms for temporary housing or were enlisted as temporary assistants for the Huntsmen and Huntresses of the world.

After the ordeal was covered the sound of Terra' scroll buzzing turned everyone's attention onto her as she reluctantly picked up the scroll and answered it's call, walking out of the room to begin what must've been a heard to make conversation.

"Is everything okay?" asked Ruby, clearly worried about whatever was happening with Terra and whoever was on the other end of the conversation.

"Oh, yeah, it will be." said Saphron, though sounding like she didn't quite believe her own words herself. "Terra's a technician for the town's relay tower. Unfortunately, the military's radar system is also housed there." she said before turning to face Adrian, who was sitting on her lap. "Guess what's been on the fritz lately and who's getting falsely blamed."

It was in the moment that Terra, who was still being chewed out by some Atlas big wig, popped her head in for a moment. "Me." she whispered as she pointed at herself in a sarcastic fashion before removing herself from the room to continue getting reprimanded for a mistake she didn't make.

"So, which one of you is currently dating my baby brother?" asked Saphron, smirking as both Ruby and I instantly froze up at her words. An action she was quick to pick up on as she turned to face the two of us with a stern expression. "So, you really believe you're worthy enough for my little brother?" she asked.

"I... Uh... Well..." stuttered Ruby, caught off guard by Saphron's words.

"Do you really believe that you can be there for him when he's at his worst? That you can praise him when he's at his best? That you can push him to do things he's never thought of before? Because if not then you don't deserve him." said Saphron, finally pushing me over the edge as I pushed myself up to my feet until I felt Ruby's hand on my own, stopping me as both Saphron and myself turned to look at her.

"No... I don't think I'm worthy enough to be with Jaune..." she said, causing both of us to widen our eyes at her words. "But I'd be willing to fight an entire army of Grimm alone if it meant being worthy to stand by his side. To see him smile. To see him laugh. To see him become the knight in shinning armor that I always heard about in the stories Yang used to read to me. So... No, I don't think I'm worthy enough for Jaune but I'm willing to do everything in my power to become worthy of him." said Ruby, turning to look at me with a smile.

Gods, was it even possible to fall more in love with this girl?

Without even a shred of doubt, I reached out for her hand, sandwiching it between my own as I gazed into her bottomless pools of silver. "Ruby, you don't have to do anything to make yourself worthy to me. You're already worth more than the purest Dust in all of Remnant. And I would do anything if it meant staying by your side." I said with a smile as her cheeks began to redden from embarrassment before I turned my attention onto Saphron. "And Saph, I know you care about me and just want what's best for me but I can tell you with absolute certainty that Ruby is the one I love wholeheartedly and if you can't accept that then you have no business in my life."

Silence filled the room as my words began to sunk in. Here I was basically flat out telling my older sister that if she didn't accept my relationship with Ruby that I would have no problem cutting her out of my life. Of course I didn't mean it. I love my older sister, despite the embarrassment she tended to bring to my life. But I loved Ruby more than life itself. She was my everything. My hope for a better future. My beacon in the dark. My hero. And ever since Pyrrha's death she'd been there by my side as a shoulder to lean on. Now it was my turn to be her's. And nothing would stand in my way. Not Salem. Not the Gods. Not Ozpin. Not even my family.

Suddenly, Saphron brought her hand to her mouth as she tried to stifle the giggles that were erupting from her mouth. But it seemed to no avail as she began to laugh allowed, causing both myself and Ruby to look at one another in confusion. After she was finally done laughing she wiped a singular tear from her left eye before she faced the two of us with a heartwarming smile. "I'm sorry about that. It's just... I never thought I hear my own baby brother say something so cheesy. Oh, the romance novels mom used to read to you before bedtime must've really had an impact on you. My baby brother must love you more than life itself if he's willing to go that far, Ruby." she said with a teasing smile, causing both Ruby and myself to blush. "Hmm, very well then. If being with Ruby is the only way I can see my baby brother again with a smile on his face then I all I have to say is... Welcome to the family, Ruby." she said as she pulled my girlfriend, who was still stunned, into a warm embrace.

But then I felt two lone hands on my shoulders as a chill fell over me. Slowly, I turned my head to see the demonic smiles of both Qrow and Yang. "Now don't think for a second that Ruby's the only one that has to deal with overprotective family, Spellsword. You still have to go through us before you can even think about dating Shortstack." said Qrow, smirking at me as I took in a gulp of oxygen.

"That's right, Vomit Boy." agreed Yang, also smirking as she seemed to enjoy me squirming in her eyes. "And trust me, if you think we're the ones you should be worried about then just wait till you meet our dad. He's the very definition of a Papa Bear."

And even though Ruby tried desperately to reprimand her family member, claiming that they were just messing with me as they laughed at the foreboding expression on my face I couldn't help but imagine all of the deaths Ruby's father would put me under for even looking at Ruby in way other than as a close friend. But then I felt Ruby's hand on my own, causing me to turn and look at her as she smiled at me. I knew what that smile meant as she continued to stare at one another while the rest of our friends and family laughed and joked at our future misery. Yeah, if I had Ruby by my side then maybe... Just maybe... I could have the future I always dreamed about.

"Well, not that we've gotten THAT out of the way. Tell me, what's your plan for tomorrow?" asked Saphron, causing Ruby, who was busy trying to stuff her face with more sandwiches, to stop and stare at her.

Never change Ruby. Never change.

"Well, We're trying to make our way to Atlas. We'l probably start with the military base in the morning." said Ruby when Nora started coughing and looking away from us with a nervous expression while Ren was busy giving himself a tired facepalm.

"Ren. Nora. What happened while we were gone?" I asked then almost sounding like a father who knew his children had done something stupid.

"Heh, well... So, we went to the place... And well... It's uh... It didn't go... Well?" she asked while trying to avoid my heated glare when Yang decided to speak up.

"Come on, it couldn't have been that bad..." she said with an unconvinced smile.

But sadly it was THAT bad as the very second we arrived at the front gates of the Atlas Military base they had begun to close abruptly, locking us out of the only way we had on getting Atlas and protecting the Relic of Knowledge from Salem's wrath. After all we'd been through to get this far to ask for help we quite literally had the door slammed in our face. Another obstacle on our path to protect this world from the likes of Salem. The two guards stationed behind the automatic gates that closed us off from essentially saving these Atlas Asshats from certain doom walked towards us in an almost robotic fashion before they arrived before us.

"The Mistral-Atlas border is closed!" announced one of the guards.

"No one is allowed entrance without proper clearance!" announced the other one.

"If you have no business here then leave the premises at once!" announced the first guard before the two of them bounded together.

"And please, have a good day!" they both announced with a robotic tone as the rest of us looked at one another.

You know... Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing if Salem destroyed the world especially if it meant getting rid of assholes like these two... Just a random thought.

But Yang was not one the take things sitting down as she gripped the gate's bars with her hands as she glared at the two robotic guards, who stared back at her with indifference. "Come on! You didn't even hear us out!" she shouted at them but their expressions remained unperturbed by Yang's heated red-eyed glare.

"Our orders are clear: The Mistral-Atlas border is closed!" announced the left guard.

"Please!" shouted the right guard.

"Have a good day!" shouted the left guard, again.

"But-" said Yang, trying to make them see reason only to be interrupted by the two of them speaking in unison again.

"A good day!" they both shouted when Qrow decided to add his two cents into the mix.

"Hey, you don't wanna believe that I'm friends with Ironnwood-" he began only to be interrupted by the two guards much like Yang was.

"General Ironwood!" they shouted, causing Qrow to sigh in annoyance. Hell, I was will bet all of my Lien on that he was dangerously close to just whipping out his weapon and bisecting these two mindless drones. But with a patience I'd never thought I'd witness, he held his tongue.

"Yeah, General Ironwood, then fine. But look, we have Weiss Schnee with us and we're trying to get her home safely." said Qrow, causing Weiss to look down with reluctance upon hearing Qrow's words.

The two guards were clearing caught off guard by the revelation as they both turned to other in confusion before looking back at us. "Approach!" they once again shouted in unison, causing Weiss to turn her attention onto Blake, who could only shrug in response, before walking up to the gates. The two guards then bent down to inspect Weiss's identity before standing straight back up. "Very well!" they shouted again in unison.

"You may speak with our commanding officer!" shouted the right guard.

"We will fetch her at once!" shouted the left guard.

Then the two mindless drones disguised as Atlas Military guards turned around in sync and began to march their way towards the entrance to their base where their commanding officer was most likely held. All the while chanting something about "hup" and "Atlas".

And judging by the weird-ed out expressions on my friends' faces I could tell that I wasn't the only one who found those two drones to be more disturbing than even the Apathy. At least with them you knew they would kill you. With those two guys I wasn't sure if even had emotions to begin with. Maybe when they were born their first words were "All hail Atlas"?

"They were... Kind of..." began Blake as she tried to think of a better word to use for the two guards that were still marching their way towards the entrance.

Robotic?

Mindless drones?

Borderline murderous psychopaths?

"Super weird? Uh, yeah." answered Ruby, finishing Blake's unfinished statement.

I mean I would called them any other number of things but sure, let's go with "Super weird".

Suddenly, Maria, who was standing next to me began to hum as she was evidently thinking about something. And by her troubled expression I could tell that whatever was bothering her was clearly something we all needed to hear about.

"What's wrong?" I asked her, causing her to momentarily be brought back to reality as she turned to face me.

"Well, I... MAY know this commanding officer..." she said, though the way she said DID NOT fill me with confidence.

But Ruby, the ever hopefully and optimistic leader of our band of misfits, smiled at hearing Maria's words. "That's good, isn't it? If she's your friend, then maybe she'd be more willing to help us."

"I wouldn't exactly call us... "friends"." said Maria, stomping out Ruby's optimistic hope that this would be just another bump in the road rather than another wall.

"Acquaintances?" asked Weiss, throwing her own suggestion of Maria's relationship with the mysterious commanding officer.

"Not quite." replied Maria, shutting down Weiss's suggestion like she had with Ruby.

"Colleagues?" asked Blake.

"Warmer." answered Maria before Yang was the one to get the answer right.

"Enemies?" she asked as Maria smiled at Yang's answer.

"That's the one!" she announced with a smile as the rest of us began to curse our seemingly endless string of bad luck.

No offense to Qrow.

Meanwhile, I was busy giving myself a facepalm at hearing Maria's words. "Oh you've got to be kidding me." I said with tired annoyance.

"Oh, yes. I come through here about once every ten years to get my eyes checked up in Atlas. But you bring outside cashews on ONE flight, and suddenly you're placed on the additional screening list for life!" shouted Maria as Qrow did exactly what I was doing as he, too, sighed with tired annoyance as he muttered the same sentence as I had. "Now, now, let's not give up hope yet." she said with a smile as a beat passed by. "Maybe she's dead!" she said with not-so-well-hidden excitement. But then suddenly the gates the military base re-opened as the two guards returned, marching directly up to us in exaggerated fashion as a short-statured elderly woman wearing an Atlesian officer's uniform marched up behind them.

"Introducing!" announced the left guard as the elderly commanding officer made her way towards us.

"Special operative!" announced the right guard just as the elderly commanding officer stepped before us in all of her short-statured glory.

"Caroline Cordovin!" the two guards announced in unison as both Maria and Ms. Cordovin glared at one another.

"Witch." muttered Ms. Cordovin as she glared at Maria, who glared back with her cybernetic glasses.

"She-devil." Maria replied as Ms. Cordovin look over the rest of us with disdain.

"Hm. I've seen you've chosen larger contraband to smuggle aboard MY airship this time." said Cordovin, snarling with aggression at the rest of us while Maria smiled all the more so.

"Oh, Cordo. You know they say time changes people, but I see you've still got that stick right up your-" she began to say cause the rest of us to panic before Ruby, thankfully, stopped her by stepping in front of the elder Grimm Reaper.

 _"Seriously, Maria, we're already having to deal with an overload of shit to deal with so is now really the time to be antagonizing the one person we desperately need to be on our side? Because if so then we REALLY need to have another father-daughter talk... Gah, stop thinking about it like that, Jaune! Ok, yes, technically we are related through whatever spiritual mumbo jumbo the God of Light placed upon Ozpin but that doesn't mean that I need to start acting like a parent to a grown woman... No matter how desperately she needs a good lecturing."_ I thought to myself as I felt the familiar tidal wave of memories of time spent teaching Maria about the ways of the world.

It's hard to imagine how a once sweet and innocent girl who dreamed of becoming a hero could so easily become an elderly woman with a pension for pissing off the wrong people at the wrong time.

It wasn't until I noticed the elderly commander notice something behind that I was pulled out the pool of forgotten memories and turned my head to notice that both Ren and Nora were standing a ways behind us. Though it seemed as though Ren was using most, if not all of his strength, to hold Nora back.

Oh gods, Nora what the hell did you do while I was gone?

"What are you doing back here?! I thought I told you to leave!" shouted Ms. Cordovin as Nora tried vehemently to charge towards the elderly Atlas commander only for Ren, who was thankfully the most collected of the two, to hold her back.

"And I told YOU we wouldn't rest until you let us through!" Nora shouted back as Ren smiled nervously and waved back at the furious Atlas commander.

"Nice to see you again as well!" he shouted with a nervous smile.

OK, note to self; ask Ren what the hell happened while I was gone.

"You civilians are clearly incapable of comprehending the importance of our mission here in Argus. So, allow me to say this slowly, with MUCH smaller words: This base, that relay tower, the very safety of Argus are all gifts from the glorious Kingdom of Atlas!" she spoke with national pride though in all brutal honesty, it sounded more like egotistical pride. "And it is my duty to uphold them, as only I have the wit and tenacity for such a daunting task."

Oh, and here I always thought that you had to be a glorified asshole with racist tendencies to be a member of the Atlas hierarchy? Hmm, guess there's not much difference when you compare the two.

But, unfortunately, Maria once again had to be the one to play the devil's advocate as she delivered the egotistical Atlas commander a taunting smirk. "Or maybe Atlas just wanted to get you as far from the kingdom as humanly possible." she said causing Ms. Cordovin to growl incessantly in response.

"You're just like the rest of these Argus ingrates! This city wouldn't even be here if it weren't for our Atlesian ancestors, and what do we get in return? The entire world is ready to put a knife to our throats!" she shouted as the rising anger within myself finally boiled over.

"What Atlas did in the past was use unity and peace to help the colonists of Mistral because they knew that it's only through peace and understanding that Argus could become the place it has. But that doesn't give people like you that right to treat anyone any way you'd like! Being a soldier is about protecting the people regardless of their differences towards yourself because it's the right thing to do! And it's people like you that are making those that worked so hard to roll over in their graves!" I shouted at her as I felt the familiar rise of power swell up inside me only to feel several hands clasp onto my body, breaking me out of my rage-filled moment and notice that everyone, including Qrow was holding me back as my body seemed to glow a mixture of green and white.

After calming down and seeing the shocked expression on the Atlas commander's face, Ruby and the others relinquished their hold on me as Ruby turned to face Ms. Cordovin. "Please, we know your kingdom had nothing to do with the Fall of Beacon. We were there." she said as Weiss stepped forward to stand side-by-side with her partner.

"No one's happy about the Atlas borders or embargo, but I know General Ironwood is just worried. It's why we need to talk to-" But Weiss's words were soon cut off by the elderly Atlas commander, who regained her furiously inflated national pride.

"The General is no coward!" She denied with a furious shout. "Atlas is strong. If all the knigdoms plan to make us their enemy, then so be it! Atlas WILL prevail!" she shouted as the two guards behind her shouted her final words in agreement.

"Are you seriously saying that you'd willing become everyone's enemy over something as stupid as pride?" I asked as Ms. Cordovin turned towards me with a strange glint in her eyes.

"If need be then yes." she said before releasing a sigh as she tried to calm herself down. "But if Ms. Schnee has truly come to her senses and wishes to return to her family, then, of course, the Atlas military will gladly escort her home. But the kingdom will not be held responsible for "friends" of... questionable character." she said as she eyed Blake's feline ears with disdain, causing Weiss to step in front of her with a hostile expression.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked with a hostile tone as Ms. Cordovin returned her hostility with a taunting smirk.

"It means we're done here." she said as she and the two guards made their way back inside as the gates behind them closed, leaving us once again up shit's creek without a fucking boat as Qrow so eloquently put it.

But Nora was not someone who wanted someone else to have the last laugh as she raced up to the gates, gripping the bars with her hands as she squeezed her face between the bars and shouted at the retreating forms of Ms. Cordovin and her two guards. "Oh yeah? Well, your face looks... like a big dumb boot!" she shouted, causing me to raise my pal towards my face in response to her insult.

"Way to show her, Nora." I replied as I then noticed Qrow walking away from us and be extension the Atlas military base.

"So... Where are we going now?" asked Ruby, causing Qrow to stop dead in his tracks.

"Yeah, what's the plan?" asked Nora, this time causing Qrow to turn back over his shoulder and look at us with a bitter expression on his face.

""The plan?"" he asked mockingly. "The plan just got shut on our face three times over. I'm going for a drink" he said, turning back as Ruby ran off to her uncle's side.

"Uncle Qrow, I really think we should try and come up with something... together" she said only for her words to fall flat on their faces as Qrow ignored her words and continued onwards towards whatever bar was nearby and leaving the rest of us to watch him leave

I mean, it's not like I didn't understand where he was coming from but the fact of the matter was that we didn't have time to wallow in our own self-pity. No matter how much we really wanted to.

"If he's gonna be a jerk then we'l just have to come up with something without him. I mean, we've got Ozpin with us! He usually knows what to do." said Nora, finally addressing the Goliath in the room as everyone, save for Ren and Nora, turned towards me with pity in their eyes, causing my only two teammates to turn and look at me in confusion.

"What is it?" asked Ren, having noticed the troubled expressions on everyone's faces as he turned towards me.

And so with a sigh I turned towards them with a saddened expression. I knew that these next words would be the hardest I'd ever say to them but I also knew that they needed to be the ones to hear them from me. I couldn't, wouldn't, allow myself to become like Ozpin and keep any secrets from my friends. No matter how painful they may be.

"I need to tell you guys something..." I said before retreating back to my sister's home in silence with others in tow behind me.

It was time for another awkward conversation only this time it was a conversation that I knew would make or break the bond between the last remaining members of Team JNPR.


	16. Bonds, Part Two

**Greetings everyone,**

 **Welcome back to the sixteenth chapter of "The Knight The Wizard".**

 **Once again, I want to send my thanks to everyone who has been so understanding of my recent change in uploading chapters. I know it can feel like a pain in the ass and I'm so thankful to all of you.**

 **I'd also like to say that this chapter goes a little more off-Book from the original because, while I still liked the episode this chapter came from, I still felt as if it could be so much better. And just another note that the next chapter will also be going off book in order to better fit the narrative I'm creating.**

 **Once again, I'd like to point out that the following will be the order of stories that I'll be working on into the near future...**

 **1\. The Knight The Wizard**

 **2\. Operation: Jaune's Dastardly Revenge (A/N: I'm still looking for ideas on Yang's punishment so if anyone wants any credit please visit that story and post your idea or PM me if you'd like.)**

 **3\. The Master Huntsman**

 **4\. The Arcful Dodger**

 **5\. A Bright Future (A/N: Set to release later into the year)**

 **Make sure to Favorite, Follow, and leave a Review.**

 **Till next time.**

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Chapter Sixteen

It was hard to imagine that just a few months ago I'd met the enigmas that were Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie for the first time. To see two people who were so drastically different from one another have a bond so close that one could mistake the two for being a couple. Whereas Ren was calm and collected under pressure Nora was rambunctious and hyperactive. Where Nora had an unnatural fascination with all things pancakes and sloths Ren was more interested in meditating and herbal teas. And from the very moment I first met these two a bond formed between us and with Pyrrha by our side our bond was only strengthened. And it was from that bond that friendship bloomed between the four us and from the friendship sparked a fire that burned brighter than the sun. We were more than just friends. We were a family that would do anything to protect one another no matter the cost to ourselves. After all, we were Team JNPR.

Well, we WERE Team JNPR...

But, sadly, our family was shattered when one of our own perished in the Fall of Beacon. Our friend and loved one, Pyrrha Nikos, was taken from us by some power-hungry bitch with an inferiority complex. It was on that day that a rift began to form between the three of us. No longer were we a family that would be willing to fight to the ends of the earth for one another. Now we were nothing more than three individuals all seeking vengeance for our fallen comrade. However, deep down we all desperately wished for that rift between us to close and once again the bond that formed between us could one day return to full bloom. We could finally go back to how things used to be.

I knew my teammates... No, my family... could be unconventional. But there was no way I wanted them to be anything else. That was what made Team JNPR what it was. A hyperactive girl whose dream was to play wack-a-Grimm with her explosive hammer. A boy who simply wanted to sleep his troubles away. A girl who was tired of living on a pedestal. And a boy who acted like the glue that held them all together. I wanted us to go back to those early days where nothing mattered and we could just be a family. It was why I knew to expect anger from my remaining teammates when I revealed the truth about Ozpin, Salem, and, of course, my time limit.

What I hadn't expected was the one who held the most rage within themselves as my brother-in-arms, Lie Ren, his face contorted in rage as his body twisted on it's axis, delivering a fearsome punch into the wall of my sister's home. The force of Ren's punch caused the wall to crack and splinter was chips of wood flew off before scattering onto the floor. And all the while Nora, myself, and the others watched a furious Ren in silence. After he pulled his fist away from the wall, causing more wood chips to plummet to the floor I slowly made my way to his side.

"Ren..." said Nora, speaking softly as I slowly placed my hand on Ren's left shoulder only for him to violently shove me away from him.

I knew he held no ill will towards me but I also knew that to him, hearing that the one person that felt like a brother to him would be overwritten by another's own personality would no doubt be infuriating. If it was me in Ren's shoes I would be all the more furious at how everything we'd done meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. All of our hard work and perseverance meant nothing. And all the pain and hardships we'd each endured to get to where we were meant even less so.

"You're lying..." said Ren, clearly speaking to me even though his back was turned to me.

"Ren." I said, causing him to turn towards me ever so slightly but the words I wished to say refused to vocalize themselves as I found myself unable to speak as my friend - my brother - stared at me with the tiniest glimmer of hope. As if he was silently begging me to admit that my words were nothing but lies. That I wouldn't be taken over by Ozpin's spirit and that everything that had happened to all of us did matter. But I couldn't lie to him... And I think he hated that I wasn't lying even more than he would've if I had been.

"Losing Pyrrha... It nearly destroyed us... And now you're telling us that we're going to lose you too?" asked Ren as Blake stepped forward with a determined expression.

"That's not true." she said defiantly as Nora rose from the cough, her fists clenching at her sides as she glared in Blake's direction.

"Really? Cuz' it sure does sound like it." Nora responded angrily, causing Blake's tongue to become numb as she attempted to find the right words.

But there were no right words for a moment like this.

It was silent as Ren glared at the crack he'd made in the wall. "You said that the only way to break the curse placed on Ozpin and Jaune was to destroy the one called Salem, right? But if Salem can't be killed, then how are we supposed to save you? How are we supposed to win this?" asked Ren as he finally turned full circle as he pleaded us for answers.

But once again we had no answers to give. And even if we had I doubt they'd be the answers they wanted. So, instead we answered with silence causing Nora, who'd sat back down on the couch to release an agitated sigh.

"Wow... Great plan everyone!" she shouted angrily in a sarcastic tone of voice as she finally rose from the couch to face me with a furious expression on her face. "And just how can you be okay with all of this?" she asked me as her eyes slowly became red as her eyes slowly began to pool with tears.

"You think I wanted any of this?" I retorted back as my own anger seemed to boil over. "That I wanted to lose Pyrrha? That I wanted to be fused with an immortal liar? That I wanted to lose everything about myself? I never wanted any of this!" I shouted back, causing Nora's eyebrows to furrow.

"Then why are you still insisting we go to Atlas if at the end you're not going to be there!?" She shouted, clenching her fists at her sides.

"Because if there's even the tiniest chance that I can make sure nothing happens to my friends or my family then I'll gladly give myself up for it! I'm doing this not because I want to but because it's the only way that I can keep you, Ren, and everyone else I love safe." I responded, finally sniffing out the raging fire in her chest as she hung her head downward, allowing her tears to splash on the floor.

And as her as tears began to stream down he face she finally raised her head to look into my eyes "Then promise me that you won't disappear if we go to Atlas. Promise me that... that we won't lose the only family we have left..." she pleaded in choked up sobs as she looked into my eyes.

But I couldn't make that kind of promise to Nora. I couldn't lie to her and say that if still be the same fearless leader she once knew. Because I knew that deep down my time as Jaune was growing shorter and shorter the longer I took. And judging by my silence the heart that was in Nora's chest finally shattered as more tears streamed down her cheeks before she turned on her heel as she made a break up the stairs and into a nearby bedroom, leaving the rest of us in silent contemplation.

Suddenly, Ren, my friend and brother in all but blood, turned towards the rest of us with a sorrowful expression. Neither one of us spoke to the other was we allowed the silence and subsequent rift between us grow with every passing second. Until, finally, Ren turned his back on me as he silently made his way towards the stairs to follow in his crying partner's footsteps.

Silently, I reached out for him "Ren, I-"

"I think it would be for the best if Nora and I had some time to ourselves..." he said as he took his first step up the stairs.

"Ren." I said sternly, finally causing him to stop with his right foot still clinging to the next step as he slowly turned his head towards me with a regretful expression. I wanted to tell him that everything would be alright. That we would find a way to beat Salem and everything would go back to normal. I wanted to tell him that he and Nora wouldn't lose me. That the bond between the three of us wouldn't be broken. I wanted to say all of that and more... But I couldn't... I couldn't lie to them... Not about about this. "I'm sorry..." I said softly as Ren turned his head away from me as the rift between us grew once more before he then retreated to the same room Nora had gone to. The rest of us stood in silence as the weight of what Nora and Ren had said to us finally made itself known.

Finally, Ruby, my light in the darkness, approached my side but as she went to place her hand in my own, I reluctantly pulled away from her as Ren's words weighed on me like a bag of bricks. I knew that to Ren and Nora that Team JNPR was as much as their family as it was mine. And to find out that that famly would be torn asunder by the very same monster that caused their new family to become splintered was too much to handle. Maybe they were right... Maybe the bonds that once held our team together were no longer there... Maybe this was the end of our family.

Maybe this was the end of Team JNPR...

Without speaking another word, I turned on my heel and made my way towards the front door of my sister's home, ignoring the call of my name from the others as I twisted the door handle and exited the house. I knew that I should've stayed but I couldn't do it... I needed to get away from everything. And so, I left into the night to wander the streets of Argus alone, leaving my girlfriend, my friends, and my family alone to wonder about my whereabouts.

Honestly, I had no idea where I was going nor did I realize just how far I'd gone until the sight of the shattered moon that hung in the night sky made me notice the change in scenery. Of course there were still people all going about their daily business as they, too, wondered the streets of Argus. The lights that were powered by Dust illuminated the otherwise dark streets while the stars in the night sky twinkled like fireflies.

My heart felt heavy with guilt and regret as I continued to walk aimlessly deeper into Argus. How had it all gone so wrong? Should I've kept my fate a secret from them? No, it would've only made things worse and it would've made me no better than the one who was eventually going to control over me. I wasn't like Ozpin. I wasn't going to hide things from my friends just because the truth was bad. But the fact of the matter was that now they knew the truth. About Salem. About Ozpin's past. About my fate.

How could I have been so stupid? Did I honestly believe that they'd just go along with us knowing that I'd be taken over by Ozpin? That they wouldn't have a problem and just go along with what I said? Of fucking course they wouldn't. They're angry, furious even, at me. Not because they hated me or that they despised me but because they loved me and cherished me. To them, me explaining that I wouldn't be the same Jaune they'd met at initiation was like saying that I was going to die right in front of them. It's no wonder they'd be mad at me.

Now what was I supposed to do?

My foot falls became heavy and tempered as I slowed my walk to a crawl before eventually stopping dead before a park's main entrance. I tilted my head upward to gaze into the great beyond, my heart felt heavy with guilt and regret as memories of my time spent with Pyrrha filled my vision.

 _"I can't do this without, Pyrrha."_ I thought to myself as more memories of my time spent with my friends came to mind. Such fond memories like the time we chased Nora for entire day after she drank from Dr. Oobleck's thermos. Or the time I actually managed to beat Pyrrha at the one thing she was terrible at... Video games. Or the time Ren and I bonded over our mutual appreciation of sleeping in on a warm Sunday morning. And as much as these memories came with a certain fondness they also came with a hint of despondency because now they would always be missing her... And eventually me. _"Why did you have to be so stupid? How could you just leave us all alone? Do you understand the hell we had to go through without you? And now Ren and Nora are both angry at me because of Ozpin and his idiotic mistakes! You once told me that I was the glue that held our team together... But I don't think that's true... you were the reason I kept going. Why I kept fighting even when things were stacked against me.. I-I can't do this without you..."_ I thought to myself when the sight of an orange maple leaf fluttering on the cold night air caught my attention and putting an end to my momentary depression.

But it was as my eyes followed the fluttering maple leaf's gentle flight that my attention was pulled away from me once more as they locked onto a familiar figure whose hair was the color of fire that cascaded down before hanging just above their shoulders like a waterfall.

Suddenly, I found myself walking towards them as they, too, walked further into the park as more maple leaves fell all around me. Was she a vision? Another phantom of my past? Trepidation and hope swirled within my chest like a tornado as I continued to follow in their footsteps.

That is until they finally stopped before a large statue carved out of stone. My heart rose into my neck as the air in lungs left my body as I stared at the lifeless face of my former partner. Even as a statue I still felt as if she could beat my ass into the ground. But she didn't have to do that as I had already fallen onto my hands and knees thus allowing the tears that pooled in my eyes to fall to the ground, creating wet spots on the concrete. My heart ached with pain, as if someone was stabbing it with a thousand needles. How could she be here? Even in death she was still with me... Haunting me... Reminding me that no matter what I did I would always and forever be nothing but a failure.

But then I felt a hand gently place itself on my shoulder, causing me to lift my head up, my eyes ,red from crying, gazed into the same familiar emerald that I once gazed into so many months ago. That same expression of worried for my wellbeing filled my heart with stones. But it was when the woman kneeling before me asked if I was alright that all of my willpower fell to pieces. Thus I allowed the tears to fall from my eyes as the woman watched over me in silence.

"I'm sorry..." I said through choked sobs. " I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough... She deserved better than someone like me."

But even despite my tears and truth in my sobbing voice the woman kneeling before me returned my cries with a gentle smile. One that expressed that she cared more about me than she did herself.

"You are strong." she said with a caring smile. "You can't blame yourself for what happened to Pyrrha."

Then without warning I felt the woman pull on my arm with me along with it until I was once again back on my own two feet. I looked at the woman in confusion before she pulled me towards the statue of my former partner. It was then that I noticed a small plaque on the bottom of the statue. There was the same symbol of a spear and shield that always brought me comfort whenever I saw it. And alongside that symbol was a series of words inscribed on the plaque. "In honor of Pyrrha Nikos, one of many students who fought valiantly at the Fall of Beacon."

After reading the inscription on the plaque my attention was then pulled away as the women standing beside me pulled away with a melancholic smile on her face. "It's really beautiful, isn't it?" She asked me, causing me to momentarily forget my sadness in favor of confusion as I gazed upon the statue.

"Yeah, it is... But why here? Why in Argus?" I asked in turn as the woman beside me glanced down with another melancholic smile at the bouquet of flowers still in her grasp.

"She trained here, Sanctum Academy." she said with a small giggle at what I could only assume was a fond memory. "Everyone was crushed when she chose Beacon over Haven. No one wanted to see her go but... it was where she wanted to be. I'm just glad she was surrounded by such amazing people like you." She said as she turned towards me with a smile on my face.

And it was then that it finally hit me like a dump truck going 95 down the street. It all made so much sense now; why this woman, whom I'd never met before, felt so familiar. Why it felt as if could trust her more than I trusted myself. And why everything just felt so... comforting. It was because she reminded me of Pyrrha... Then did that mean this woman was...

"Y-You're Pyrrha's mother..." I said as my eyes widened at the realization while the woman next to me merely smiled softly at me before returning her attention onto Pyrrha's statue. But once agin the realization that I was the reason her daughter was no longer with her fell back onto my heart like a bag of bricks.

"She told me a lot about you, Jaune." She said with a smile. "How you made her feel normal. How you became her first true love. And every time she's send me a message I'd always hear the chaos that went on in the background while she'd just continue to smile as if nothing was wrong. I'm happy that she made such great friends at Beacon."

"She should be standing here..." I said with guilt filling my chest after hearing her words.

"She is..." I heard her respond, causing me to turn my head towards her in confusion but she still continued to stare at her faughter's statue with a bittersweet smile on her face. "Pyrrha understood that she had a responsibility... to try. I don't think she would regret her choice, because a Huntress would understand that there really wasn't a choice to make. And a Huntress is what she always wanted to be." said Ms. Nikos as she continued to smile at the statue of her daughter one last time before turning her attention onto me. "So, please don't blame yourself because I know that Pyrrha wouldn't have regretted a single thing. Instead walk with your head held high and your heart full of hope because it's up to you now to carry Pyrrha's dream. And I know that even now she's watching you with a smile on her face and a heart filled with pride." said Ms. Nikos as she slowly pulled me into a tight embrace before moving her mouth towards my ear. "Thank you for giving Pyrrha a wonderful friendship and an even more wonderful first love." She said before slowly pulling away, leaving the bouquet of flowers in my arms as she turned to walk away, leaving me to stand before my partner's statue alone.

Suddenly, I felt a tingling sensation that then caused my body to twist only for it to then be forced to the ground by a teary-eyed Nora as she dive-tackled in my side. I was so caught off guard by her sudden appearance that I hadn't even noticed that by the time I'd registered it was really her, clinging to my armor and crying, Ren had already appeared before me with a worried expression that then shifted into relief as he released a sigh from his mouth. After thoroughly drenching my right shoulder with her tears, Nora then pulled her head away to look into my eyes.

"We're so sorry, Jaune!" She exclaimed as more tears streamed down her red cheeks. "We didn't mean what we said! It's just that we already lost our families and then Pyrrha and then when you told us about Ozpin and everything it was all just... Just..." said Nora, struggling to find the right word to use.

"Too much?" asked Ren, throwing out a suggestion that made Nora's eyes pop at the words.

"Yeah!" she shouted before managing to calm herself down enough to properly voice her feelings only for Ren to tap her left shoulder before directing her vision to the statue of Pyrrha standing above us, like a motherly protector.

And just like myself they, too, were left with mixed emotions as they gazed up at the immortalized figure of our friend and partner.

"I'm sorry, you guys." I said suddenly, causing the two of them to turn their attention back onto me. "I'm sorry about everything. About Salem. About Ozpin. About Pyrrha. I've been a terrible leader, and a terrible friend, and I-" But just before I could deeper into my apology I was then silenced by Ren, who placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Jaune, stop." he said sternly before turning towards Nora to continue.

"We... We heard what you said to Cinder... at Haven." said Nora, glancing off to the side with a frown before turning back to look into my eyes. "Jaune, you're not being fair to yourself. Ren and I, we love you, just like we loved Pyrrha. We're more than teammates. We're a family."

"We didn't want to lose you too." said Ren, stealing my attention away from Nora. "But when you told us the truth... About Ozpin and about Salem... it made us realize how true Qrow's words were when we first saw the backlash of your fusion with Ozpin. We don't know how long we may have left to spend time with you or of what will happen afterwards..."

"So that means we need to spend whatever time we've got left being together like a family." Said Nora, finally cracking a smile despite the tears in her eyes that warmed my heart to a near melting point.

"I think..." I began with reluctance as my shifted my eyes on the statue of my partner standing above me as a sensation of determination and hope swelled within me. "I think she knew she might not come out alive. But... I think she also knew she was the only one that could try."

"And so, she did. To protect all of us. To give us a chance to try as well." said Ren as he, too, gazed at Pyrrha's statue.

"Maybe... We should too." said Nora as she also gazed upon the statue.

"Yeah, we should." I said, the three of us all pulling our attention away from Pyrrha's statue to look upon each other. "I won't lie to you guys... There's a chance I might not make it out of this as... Myself."

"But that still means there's a chance." said Ren, smiling at me with a determined expression.

"Yeah! All we need to do is beat that Salem and break the curse! Pfft, easy as pancakes!" Nora proudly exclaimed while Ren brought his hand to his face with a sigh.

"Nora, it's supposed to be "easy as pie"." corrected Ren as he rolled his eyes at Nora's wave at his grammar correction.

"Whatever!" She exclaimed loudly before jumping upward back onto her feet before the two of them extended their hands outward to me.

And, unlike before when I stupidly turned Pyrrha away because of my pride, this time I took those hands with my own. And soon enough I, too, was back on my feet with my friends, nay, my family by my side. The bond between our team may be smaller now that Pyrrha was gone but it was far from being broken. It didn't matter what stood in our path because we knew that we'd face them all together.

As one.

And as we looked upon the immortalized statue of our fallen friend and loved one we all knew that no matter what Team JNPR was far from over.

"Pyrrha may not be by our side anymore." said Nora, placing her hand on my shoulder as she flashed me a brief smile. "But we can fight like she is."

"And in a way she will be... Fighting alongside us in spirit." agreed Ren as he, too, placed his hand on my other shoulder.

"Yeah." I said as Nora handed me a pipin hot drink that I took wholeheartedly.

"It's too bad that mean old lady won't listen to us otherwise we'd already be at Atlas by now." complained Nora.

Suddenly, I saw a flash before my eyes as another memory appeared before me. And with that memory came an idea. An idea so crazy that it had to work.

"Well, there is one person she'd be willing to listen to." I said as a determined smirk braced my face.

"Oooh, I like that look." said Nora as she hopped excitedly in place. "What's the plan, fearless leader?"

"First, we've gotta find Qrow." I said as I walked between my two friends with my head held high, my heart filled with hope, and a crazy idea in my head. I mean, honestly, it was crazy. And the odds of this plan working were astronomical at best. But, like Nora said, it meant that there was still a chance no matter how slim. "It's time I called in a favor."


	17. A Favor Between Old Friends

**Greetings everyone,**

 **Welcome back to the 17th chapter of "The Knight The Wizard".**

 **Now, as you all already know that since Volume 6 has ultimately come to an end that also means that this story will be going on a hiatus until the next volume is released. I know that there will be those that want the story to continue onward but I'd prefer to plan these chapters out after first watching the entire volume so that I may plan and fix any glaring problems. An action that I neglected to do for this volume and as such ended running into several problems as a result.**

 **Don't forget to check out my other stories as well, such as "Operation: Jaune's Dastardly Revenge" which will reaching it's conclusion very soon, so be sure to check it out when you can. And be sure to read the Author's Note down below if you want to hear my thoughts about this volume.**

 **Make sure to Favorite, Follow, and leave a Review.**

 **Till next time**

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Chapter Seventeen

It was nightfall by the time my team and I had returned to Saffron's house. We'd just gotten done discussing the idea I'd had back near Pyrrha's statue. And, in all honesty, it had literally all of the makings of being a bad idea. It was idiotic, moronic, and so far out of left field that I was definitely sure that the only way it could ever possibly work was through a miracle. But just as Ren had said before even if the chance was slimmer than paper it still meant that there was a chance. And frankly, it was quite possibly the only logical option we had.

I mean, it's not like our only option was to steal a bullhead and become fugitives. Seriously, who would ever think of doing such a stupidly idiotic idea like that?

As we traversed up the hill that lead to my older sister's home we took notice that several of our friends were all standing just outside my sister's front door. And as we drew closer we then noticed that they were all staring at the passed out form of Ruby's uncle, Qrow.

Immediately, I released a disappointed sigh from my lips as I watched his drunken form shift about on the steps of my sister's home. I swear out of everyone here Qrow was the one I'd hoped would actually act like an adult here.

I mean don't get me wrong Maria was technically an adult but after seeing how she acted with Cordovin it didn't take a genius to see that she clearly wasn't up to the task of being the leader. And while Ruby was certainly trying her best ultimately I knew that she just wasn't ready for a role such as this.

Though, in all honesty, neither was I. But at the very least I had some of Ozpin's experience which certainly gave me some leeway in this situation.

This moment called for someone to be a leader and as much as I didn't want it be me, I knew that it HAD to be me that rallied the troops, raised the morale, and come up with a plan to save the day.

It wasn't until we'd just gotten a few more feet away that Ruby had noticed our arrival. And I swear it was like the shattered moon was making her silver eyes sparkle just for me as she instantly transformed into a red blur of rose petals and charged straight towards me. Her tiny body collided with mine as she forced her arms around my neck.

My own arms wrapped around her waist as I pulled her closer to me, savoring the warmth she brought me as a smile grew on me. It was true that seeing Pyrrha's statue brought back some old feelings but I knew in my heart that she'd be happy that Ruby made me feel this way. After all, that was just the kind of person she was. If only I'd seen it before I'd lost her.

"You're okay." she said as she spoke into the crook of my neck, her words causing me to smile as I held her in my arms. "I was so worried. I wanted to go after you but then Yang said I should leave you alone for a bit but I was still worried and I'm just really glad you're back."

"Me too, Ruby." I responded as I lowered her back onto her feet. Her silver eyes meet my cerulean blues as we smiled at one another before we turned back to see the passed out form of Qrow. I sighed once again before reaching down to grip the collar of his shirt.

And with a strength I hadn't even realized I had, I brought my right palm to his cheek, instantly waking the drunken man from his slumber as his red eyes popped out just as I released my hold on his collar.

"Gah! Son of a bitch!" he yelped as he brought his hand to his cheek, his aura already taking care of the stinging sensation as his eyes meet my own. "What the hell is your problem, you bastard!?"

"You're my problem, Qrow!" I shouted back, my clenching into fists. "So Ozpin lied to you? Big fucking deal! You think any of us have had it any easier? Do you think that it gives you the right to be a depressed sad sack? None of us wanted any of this but like it or not this is what we're doing so you can either give me your scroll willingly or I can knock your ass out and take it by force!"

"You? Knock me out?" he asked as he lowered his hand away from his cheek as his lips began to spread into a smug grin. "Listen, Spellsword, you may have Oz's experiences but that doesn't mean you know how to use them. And just what in the hell do you want with my scroll? Because if it's so you can watch porn then you've got another ting coming." he said as he went to raise his flask to his lips only for Ruby to forcibly take it from him before silencing him with a heated glare.

I swear I felt like we were parents dealing with a rebellious teenager with how Qrow was acting.

Gods help me if I ever have to deal with that.

"No. No more drinking." said Ruby, placing the flask on her belt as she placed her hands on her hips. "You're going to sit there quietly and listen to what we have to say, got it?"

And Qrow, seeing that his niece wasn't going to take anymore shit from him, relinquished himself to us as he crossed his arms and looked upon us with his beady red eyes.

"We understand why you're acting like this, Qrow." I said, seeing his left eyebrow raise just slightly. "You think it's your fault that we're in this mess. Because of your semblance."

"But it's not." said Ruby, taking a seat next to her uncle, who was looking away from us. "It's not your fault that everything's been bad. And it's not your fault that Ozpin lied to us."

"You said before that Ozpin gave you a place in this world. Gave you a reason to believe that you weren't the cursed child everyone thought you were. But when Ozpin's secrets were revealed you started to realize that he never gave you a place because he cared about you... it was because he saw what could've been a dangerous opponent and saw it best to ensure that you'd follow him if he gave you the one thing you'd always wanted... Hope. Hope that one day you wouldn't have to be alone anymore." I said, seeing his red eyes widen at my words.

"Don't you get it, Uncle Qrow?" asked Ruby, smiling as she wrapped her dainty little arms around her uncle's neck. "Even if you are cursed, it'll never stop us from loving you. So what if Ozpin lied to us? So what if Salem can't be killed? I know we'll find a way to win at the end of the day."

"But we can't do it without you, Qrow." I said as I watched the drunken huntsman sigh before trying to hide his smile from view.

"Jeez, you kids really know how twist a man's arm, don't you?" he asked as Ruby removed her arms from around his neck. "Alright, Spellsword. What's this big idea you've got in that head of your's?"

"First, I need to see your scroll." I responded as he silently handed me his scroll.

After acquiring the unlocked device, I swiftly began inputting several numbers before finally hearing the telltale ringing from the other side. After a few more seconds of ringing, the call was received as I heard that very same gruff commanding tone is heard on the fateful night during the Fall of Beacon.

"What do you want, Qrow? I'm very busy at the moment." responded General Ironwood, the sound of several keyboard clacks echoing in the background.

"Hello, General Ironwood." I said, taking silent joy in seeing the wide-eyed stares of my friends as they all watched me speak with the General of the Atlas military.

"Who is this? Where is Qrow?" asked General Ironwood, his voice seeping with venom.

"My name is Jaune Arc, we met in Vale... When Beacon fell." I said, as a flood of memories from that night came rushing back before regaining my composure. "But, you may know me better as an old friend. More specifically, one with a near-obsession with black coffee."

"Ozpin?" he asked, the sound of genuine confusion laced his voice.

"Eh, not quite but close enough." I said with a light chuckle. "I'm Ozpin's more recent traveling companion. Though not by choice, mind you."

"If that's true then tell me something that only Ozpin would know." said General Ironwood as a sudden memory came back to my mind. One that had me smiling as I remembered one crazy night involving a certain tin man and his poorly, not to mention drunkenly, conceived attempt to impress a familiar stern-faced professor at a local pub.

"It was the night of graduation, you and Ozpin had decided to go for a night on the town to celebrate when you spotted a beautiful blonde drinking at the bar. After gathering your courage, with the help of several shots of whiskey, you marched over to her, placed your hand on the counter and said, "You, my dear, are easily the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life." Only for said "woman" to turn around and sock you in the nose before replying "I ain't no woman, asshole!"" I said as I heard several of my friends trying desperately to stifle their growing laughter while Qrow was busy laughing out loud, regardless of Ironwood's growing embarrassment. "Perhaps you shouldn't have had more of those "cups of courage" eh, General Ironwood?"

"I swear that night was the second worst night of my life." responded General Ironwood, the sound of his sigh traveling into my ear. "Alright, I have more questions for you, Mr. Arc. But for now you have my undivided attention."

"Thank you, General." I responded as joy filled my heart. Finally we caught a break! "My friends and I are in Argus. We were planning on bringing the Relic of Knowledge to Atlas for protection seeing as Haven is no longer a safe alternative."

"But with the lockdown on trade and transport you're unable to do so, correct?" asked the General, though already knowing the answer. "I want to help, truly I do, but things in Atlas aren't as cut and dry as they may appear to be. First I'd need to meet with the council and propose a temporary lift of the ban and even then there's no guarantee that they'd lift it just to help a few students from Vale."

"Can't you just overrule their decision then?" I asked.

"I'm afraid it's just not that simple, Mr. Arc." said General Ironwood. "The Atlas council was based around equal ruling for all parties involved. Just because I occupy two seats does not mean that I have control over what does and does not happen."

"You don't understand, sir. The Relic, it's like a beacon for the Grimm. If we don't get it out of Argus soon, this place will be under attack. We need to get it to Atlas. It's the only place in Remnant with enough defense to protect it." I said, my left fist gripping tightly.

"As I said before, Mr. Arc, I do want to be of assistance but it's not that simple. I'm sorry..."

"Then I'm calling in a favor... from an old friend." I said with steely determination. "You still owe Ozpin for what happened in Vale. It was because you decided to bring an entire army of robots that Cinder was able to hack that caused Vale to fall. So like it or not, General Iron-Dick, you owe us." I said as anger flooded my vision until I felt Ruby's gentle hand in my own.

After a few minute of silence, the sound of the General's reluctant sigh reached my ear. He knew that he'd get hell for going over the council's heads. But he also knew that he DID have a hand in the Fall of Beacom, even if it was unintentional. He owed us for the destruction of our home and the murder of our friends.

"You realize that if I do this then the council will have my head on pike, correct?" he asked.

"And if you don't then everyone in Argus will die by Salem's hand." I responded with a stern frown.

"Very well, Mr. Arc." he said. "Then as of this moment you are a Specialist of the Atlesian military effective immediately. I'll send word to the commander of the base in Argus that you, along with your friends are to be allowed entrance into Atlas."

"Wait a second, there was no talk about me joking the military least of all signing up to be a Specialist!" I shouted into the scroll.

"I do apologize, Mr. Arc. But it is the only way you and your friends will be allowed entrance. It is the best that I can do as of this moment. We will speak again when you arrive tomorrow evening. Goodbye." said General Ironwood, ending the call and leaving me fuming with irritation as the rest of my friends now watched me with wide eyes.

But I had no words to give them as I quietly handed Qrow back his scroll while Ruby, kept her hand on mine.

How had everything gone to shit so fast?

I just wanted to get to Atlas so I could be done with all of this bullshit. But instead I end up being forcibly enlisted into the military.

"So, I guess we should start packing?" asked Yang, trying to add some levity to the situation.

Before long nearly everyone was walking back into my sister's home to gather their things, leaving only Ruby and myself alone on the curb as the night sky and all of its twinkling stars hung above us.

And so, I, Jaune Arc, went from being a former huntsman-in-training at Beacon Academy to being the reincarnation of an immortal wizard. And now, I was officially a Specialist of the Atlesian military.

Looking back on it, maybe stealing a bullhead and becoming a fugitive wasn't such a bad idea.

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 **So, I'm going to be honest right now, I did not enjoy the last few episodes of this volume. There were SO many problems that could've been changed to make the narrative better but they just didn't go through with it.**

 **They changed Adam, one of the more better "villains" that fought for a just cause into an obsessive stalker ex-boyfriend.**

 **Then there was Neo, who should've remained a wild card due to her hatred towards both Cinder AND Ruby.**

 **Then there was just Ruby and everyone believing that their ONLY way to get to Atlas was to become criminals. Seriously, I know they presented Cordovin as this "obstacle" that they, for some reason, needed to beat to achieve their goal. And while I will readily admit that she was a colossal bitch, in the end she was simply doing her job. Sure any sensible person would've sent out a couple bullheads to arrest them instead bringing out the mech that is literally designed to protect Argus from the Grimm.**

 **But what made it worse was that everyone was surprised when they saw that Argus was being attacked by the Grimm.**

 **Why are you surprised?! They literally saw you fighting against Cordovin and her mech AND you're literally carrying a dinner bell around you're waist! Seriously, it's like they forgot that the relic is actively causing the Grimm to chase them down about half-way through the volume.**

 **AND then Cordovin freaking breaks character and lets the people who caused Argus to become attacked just fly away without any punishment.**

 **It was ultimately because of all of these glaring factors that I decided to go off book for this chapter and why I also will be going off-book for the next chapter or two before putting this story on hiatus. I hope you all understand.**

 **Thank you all so much for reading.**


	18. Specialist Arc

**Greetings everyone,**

 **And welcome back to the pseudo-final chapter, chapter eighteen, of "The Knight The Wizard" before it goes on a temporary hiatus in preparation for Volume 7's release. I hope you're all ready for one hell of a chapter!**

 **I want to thank everyone who's been following this story since the very beginning. It's been a wild and crazy roller-coaster of a ride these past few months. From changing jobs to just dealing with everyday life's bullshit. But I'm super happy I took up writing and even more so that I have so many wonderful people reading this story.** **It's been such an amazing time writing this story and I can't wait to continue once Volume 7 has come out.**

 **On a related note, a fellow writer and one of my favorite authors, "jauneforever", is writing a story where Jaune is one of the servant classes in the Fate series. And the Jaune from this here story will be in that story as well. So, be sure to go and read their story, give them lots of love, and tell them Mr. Pwnage set you.**

 **Be sure to check out my other stories, such as; "Operation: Jaune's Dastardly Revenge" which will be ending on it's next chapter.**

 **Make sure to Favorite, Follow, and leave a Review.**

 **Till next time!**

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Chapter Eighteen

This was it.

The moment we'd all been waiting for.

After all the pain, sorrow, and misery we'd faced in our harrowing journey to deliver the Relic of Knowledge to Atlas for safety, we'd finally arrived at the front gates of the Atlas Military base in Argus. There we stood before it's tall caged gates with our luggage in hand and our muscles tense with anticipation. Would the general uphold his end of the deal? Would Cordovin even give a damn? Hundreds upon hundreds of questions plagued the back of our minds as he waiting for the commander to arrive at the gates.

And where the others were keeping themselves occupied with enjoying some back-to-back conversations with one another, I, myself, just kept staring into space as the millions of scenarios of what might or might not happen ran through my head on a loop. What would I do if Cordovin denied us entry even after hearing General Ironwood's order? What would happen if they decided to detain us without evidence? But the most important question of all was this... What would happen if we did make it to Atlas? Was the general being serious when he made me an Atlesian Specialist or was he merely creating a lie to tell the council members? I wracked my brain for what felt like hours until I felt the gentle grip of my girlfriend's hand in my own.

Our eyes met. Cerulean-blue and sterling-silver. And time seemed to slow to a crawl. I honestly didn't know how someone like her could possibly do it. Here we were about to undergo another journey to another continent of Remnant, far from our home, and with big red targets painted on our backs. And yet, through it all, she was there, standing beside me, with her head held high and her heart filled with hope. And it was as the sounds clacking heels heading towards us and creaking metal as the gates slowly started to open that I was reminded of the words Pyrrha's mother had spoken to me the night before.

Suddenly, I felt another pair of hands on my shoulders and connected to those hands were the arms of my friends... My family... Ren and Nora. They each had a smile on their face as a fire burned in their hearts. I instantly knew what their silent gesture had meant. It didn't matter what stood in the way of saving the world. Because I wasn't going to do it alone. I would never be alone.

Unfortunately, it did not stop my nervous from reaching terminal velocity as the worn but stern face of Commander Cordovin and her entourage came marching towards us. Seriously, how was it possible that a tiny elderly woman struck more fear into me than the thought of facing an entire horde of Grimm with my bare hands?

The look of disgust that was painted on the elderly woman's face was all the evidence we'd needed to see to know that General Ironwood's order hadn't yet reached the elderly woman's ears. Which meant that my fears were much closer to being realized than I thought.

The very moment Codorvin step past the gates' threshold a chill crawled down my spine. Mainly because it was Maria who answered the call as she took a step forward. But, thankfully, Ruby was there to stop Maria from causing us anymore problems. In doing so, she then allowed me, to step forward and face the tiny commander, solidifying myself was the leader of our group.

And just like that I immediately thought back to the idea of stealing a bullhead... Should've taken the opportunity when I had the chance.

"Hmph, I thought I told you, ruffians, that we were done with your incessant badgering. We will not allow anyone into the greatness that is Atlas under any circumstances and that is final!" shouted Cordovin, her voice booming with intimidation.

"Would you do it for a fellow Specialist?" I asked, scratching the back of my neck on reflex as the tiny commander turned her questioning glare on me.

"What in the devil's blazes are you talking about, you ingrate?" asked Cordovin, removing her hands from behind her back before placing them just above her hips.

"Well... Uh... It just so happens that I, myself, am a Specialist. My team and I were out on a mission when the General called us back. And we'd just so happened to run into Weiss...Er, I mean... Ms. Schnee on our way here. So, being the kind people we are, we decided to offer our services to Ms. Schnee and bring her back home safely... Because you know... Two Nevermore... One Stone..." I said, feeling the intense glare of the tiny elderly commander growing ever more so with every word that past my lips.

"Do you take me for a fool, boy?" she asked, causing Maria to open her mouth that would've surely allowed her a snide and very confrontational comeback, only for Ruby to cover the elderly Huntress's mouth with her hands. Though by the look of disgust on Ruby's face I could only assume that Maria was doing something unspeakable behind Ruby's hand. Course, it didn't solve my current problem with the elderly commander, who continued to glare at me as the rest of her entourage all slowly raised their guns at the rest of us.

"N-No, ma'am..." I slowly responded as the entourage of Atlesian soldiers began to surround us with their weapons raised.

"Then tell me, why do you insist on speaking to me as though I were a fool?" she asked. But before I could even utter a single reply Cordovin swiftly raised her hand, silencing my words. "No, if anyone is to be considered a fool then it would be you, boy. And do you know why that is?" she asked before once again silencing my words before they even had a chance to voice themselves. "Because your first mistake was having the audacity to call yourself a Specialist. Your second mistake was voicing such a ridiculous claim. But your third and final mistake..." said Cordovin, as she reached behind her before pulling out a massive hand cannon that was clearly too big and impractical for a woman of her stature before aiming the massive firearm directly between my eyes. "...was that you thought for even a single second that I'd believe such an idiotic lie."

So, this was it?

This was how I died?

I wonder what they'll put on my tombstone? Probably something really dumb like "Here lies a piece of Jaune Arc. The other pieces are over there, over there, and somewhere on that back wall." Yeah, that'd be what it'd say. His sisters always did have a dark sense of humor.

"As of this moment you and the rest of these insolent ingrates are all under arrest for impersonating an officer, lying to a federal officer, and trespassing on government property. And I'd suggest you and the rest of your so-called friends keep your mouths shut lest they find themselves unable to to reopen." said Cordovin when suddenly I noticed a single figure running towards us. They seemed to be in their earlier 20s and dressed in a more standard officer's uniform. And in their hand was a single sheet of paper.

"Commander!" they shouted, causing Cordovin to turn and look back at them. "Commander! I have an urgent message from General Ironwood!" they shouted once more, finally arriving behind the tiny commander, who promptly took the sheet of paper from their hand as they tried to catch their breath. And even though Cordovin eyes read through the words on the paper multiple times, she still managed to keep her massive hand cannon trained on my forehead.

But it was in that final moment, as the hand cannon that would've surely blown my head clean off my body slowly lowered, that the tiny elderly commander pushed the sheet of paper into the officer's chest before turning to face me with a strange look. A look that told me how desperately she wanted to end my miserable existence right then and there. Hell, I even though that the vein in her temple was going to burst like a grenade if she looked at me any longer. But, finally Cordovin lowered her gaze with a reluctant sigh as she gestured for the soldiers surrounding us to all lower their weapons before turning to face me one last time. And believe me when I say that if looks could kill then than the expression on the commander's face was telling me that she didn't want to just kill me. She wanted to make my death as slow and as painful as it could possibly be. Though thankfully, I was spared such a gruesome demise as the tiny commander turned away from us.

"You may all enter but do not think for even a second that you will be allowed entrance into Atlas without proper clearance. And if any of you takes even one foot out of line I will see to it that you are all placed into the highest maximum security prison, PERSONALLY." said Cordovin as she walked forward with her entourage of men following closely behind her.

And so, I was finally able to release my breath, allowing the sweetness that was oxygen to pass through my lungs as Ruby released her hold on Maria, her palm covered in the woman's saliva that she then promptly tried to clean like a madwoman. It wasn't until a felt a powerful slap on my back that nearly caused me to fall face first into the pavement that my nerves began to calm down. I turned back to see that the hand that had slapped my back belonged to none other than Qrow, himself. And despite the silver flask that he'd raised halfway to his mouth, the proud smirk on his face was all I needed to see.

"Looks like your little plan worked out, Spellsword." said Qrow, taking another swig from his flask. "But, how's about next time you come up with a poorly thought out plan, it doesn't end up with some of us almost dying?"

"Heh, yeah... Next time." I said, scratching the back of my head as a strange sense of deja vu filled my body. Something within myself told me that next time would be coming sooner rather than later.

"I'm just glad Ironwood kept up his end of the deal." said Yang, picking up her bag from off of the ground before slinging the strap over her right shoulder.

"Trust me Dragonfire, James is a lot of things but he'd never been one to break his word. If he says he's gonna do something then not even an entire squadron is going to stop him." said Qrow, lifting his own pack back onto his back before placing his flask back into his jacket pocket. "My only problem is whether or not that Cordovin-chick is gonna give a damn about Jame's message and let us through."

"He's right." I responded, turning to face the others. "We don't know how long we'll be here for or if the commander will even let us through. But it might be best for all of us to be on our best behavior. The last thing we need is to be kicked out before we even get a chance to explain ourselves." I said before turning back to see that Maria was about to open her mouth. "And yes, that goes double for you. I don't care what kind of bad blood you and Cordovin have between one another. Everyone is to be on their absolute best behavior. Understand?" I asked, before seeing everyone nodding their heads at my words, though Maria's nod was more of a reluctant grumble as she pushed past me to walk into the base.

Soon enough, every was starting to walk into the base until only myself, Ruby, Saffron, Terra, and little Adrian were left outside the base. And as I looked upon my older sister and her family, my lips began to spread into a smile. I couldn't lie and say I wasn't going to regret leaving them. Hell, for all I knew this could very well be my final moment with my family. There was no telling what would happen after we got to Atlas or what would happen after we left. Would this be my last moment?

But just as I was about to open my mouth, suddenly I found myself being held in the arms of both my older sister and my sister-in-law. And it was in that moment that I realized something. I didn't need to say anything because they already knew what I wanted to say and more.

"We're going to miss you, Jaune." said Saffron, as I felt her tighten her grip on my back. "And I want you to promise me that you'll be okay."

"I-"

"I mean it, Jaune." said Saffron, pulling away to look at me. Her eyes were red from crying as some lone tears streamed down her face. "Promise me... That... That I'll see my baby brother again."

I wanted to tell her the truth. I wanted to tell her about Ozpin. About Salem. About the secret war. And about myself.

But... I couldn't do it. I couldn't put my sister through that kind of pain.

And believe me, I hated myself for lying to her... And I hated myself even more so for lying to myself... But at the end of the day so long as they were alive to hate me for lying... Then that was fine by me.

"I promise, Saff." I said, smiling as I pulled my sister and Terra into one last hug. I poured all of the love that I held for them into that final hug. But it was thanks to Ruby that I was able to find the strength needed to pull away. But Gods know I wanted that moment to last a lifetime.

"And Ruby, you be sure to keep my knucklehead of a baby brother from getting into trouble." said Saffron, laughing despite the tears in her eyes as Ruby reached over to grab onto my hand with a smile.

"Please, if anyone needs to keep themselves out of trouble it's definitely her." I said, smirking as I gestured to Ruby, who was coming down with a dreadful case of foot-in-mouth syndrome.

"Pfft, whaaat? I don't know what you're talkin' about." said Ruby as her pale white cheeks began to redden from embarrassment, causing me to smile as I looked at her.

"Oh, so you're saying you didn't blow up and make a crater on the first day of school?" I asked, smiling as her tiny cheeks puffed while her eyebrows furrowed into what I could only assume was an angry glare though it was much more adorable than it was frightening.

"Well at least I didn't throw up my breakfast all over my sister's shoes, Vomit boy!" Ruby shouted, as she made rapid punches on my right arm, causing myself and my sister and her family to begin laughing at her poor attempts to hurt me.

After a few more minutes of teasing my poor and easily tease-able girlfriend, it came time for Ruby and I to say our goodbyes. And as we walked into the military base, the sound of creaking metal echoing behind us as the gates began to close, I couldn't stop myself from looking back and seeing my older sister and her family walking further into the distance. It wasn't until I felt Ruby's hand in my own that I turned back to see that same comforting smile on her face before she stood up on the tips of her toes to press her lips against my cheek that I was able to turn away from the gates and walk deeper into the base. And immediately my short lived happiness quickly turned to mush at the sight of Maria and Cordovin getting into another argument. Slowly, I lifted my gaze into the sky as Ruby walked ahead of me so that she could put an end to the argument.

One thing. I asked for one thing and I couldn't even get that. It was like the universe was trying to make my life difficult. And worst of all was that it was succeeding.

But, strange though it may seem, I couldn't help but find myself feeling a little bit nostalgic at the sight of Ruby reprimanding Maria. There was just something about watching the scene play out from afar that felt... Familiar.

Well, whatever the case may be, I didn't exactly have time to dwell on the subject as I, too, made my way towards the two screaming elderly women.

The argument must've drawn to a climactic conclusion because by the time I got there, Cordovin was already getting ready to drag Maria kicking and screaming to what I could only assume was either a maximum security prison or a mental institution. Though in all honesty, it wasn't like I could personally blame her.

Hey, say what you want but even you would admit that Maria had quite a few screws loose. Heck, I was sure she'd be the first one to volunteer to fly the bullhead if we'd gone with my first idea. Anyone who'd be so willing to do that clearly wasn't in the right state of mind.

But I don't think we're much better by comparison.

Anyway, I was about mid-way into the conversation when Cordovin noticed my approach. Her sour expression slowly changed into one of indifference as she ignored Maria's insults in favor of direction her attention towards myself.

"Hmph, I've spoken to the general about you and your little... friends." said Cordovin. The expression on her face clearly told me that she didn't give a single damn whether or not I was an official Atlas Specialist. I was pretty sure that if it wasn't for General Ironwood's message, she'd have no problems with stacking a bunch of trumped up charges on us just to get us off her property. "A transport ship will leaving in a few minutes that will take you directly to Atlas. I would kindly suggest that you and the rest of your band of misfits leave as quickly as possible. The less time I have to deal with you all the better."

"Believe me ma'am, we want nothing more than for this whole ordeal to be done with." I responded before watching in silence as she turned her nose and began to walk away from us. "For what it's worth, thank you for everything you've done!" I shouted at her retreating form before hearing Yang's snicker coming from behind me.

"Yeesh, and here I thought Weiss Cream was the one with stick up her ass." said Yang, earning herself the immediate ire from said girl as she turned her icy glare upon her.

"Do you want to repeat yourself, Xiao Long?" she asked with a threatening tone of voice while Yang simple rolled her eyes at the thinly veiled threat.

Afterwards, we all re-gathered our supplies and began to make our way towards the transport ship that would take us all to Atlas and finally to put our journey to an end. I honestly couldn't believe just how far we'd come since leaving Vale. We'd fought against psychopathic Faunus, Grimm that seemed to come straight out of our nightmares, and learned that we were all just pawns to be used in someone else's game. Well, now it was the pawns' turn to play the game their way. And maybe... Just maybe I could break this curse placed upon me and live a normal life...

Yeah, if only...

Anyway, it was about five minutes later that our transport ship was ready to fly us out of here and take us to Atlas where we'd finally be able to keep the Relic of Knowledge safe from Salem's grasp. And as the rest of my team all boarded the transport ship to fasten themselves in for the ride, I took one last look at Argus, where my older sister and her family were living in.

I wish I could've told them the truth... But it would only cause them more trouble. If they knew the truth then that would make them targets to be taken care of. And that would mean that their blood would be on my hands. No, it was better that they didn't know... At least for now... Maybe once everything was said and done I could tell them the truth. But for now, as cliche as it might sound, ignorance was bliss.

Was this what it felt like to be Ozpin? To constantly know a truth that you couldn't tell others lest they be the next one you had to bury? If so, then maybe I could see why Ozpin hid the truth from us... But it doesn't make it any easier to deal with. And I think that that's the reason I hate this curse the most. The longer I stayed merged with him the less and less of myself there seems to be. And as I turned my back on the city that housed my family a single thought crossed my mind as I boarded the transport ship along with my friends.

At the end of the day, would I die as Jaune Arc or live on as Ozpin?

Either way, I would continue to make the best of whatever time I had left with the people I cherished most beside me.

The roaring sound of the transport ship boomed loudly as the ship slowly started to rise off of the base's landing platform. The sight of the ground and everything else becoming smaller and smaller the higher we raised into the sky was almost enough to make me want to hurl. My stomach was already feeling queasy from riding the transport ship alone but to add vertigo to the mix was just beyond cruel even for the universe.

"So, I guess this is it, huh?" said Ruby, causing the rest of us to turn back and look at her. "After everything that's happened we're finally going to Atlas."

"Hmph, well I'm glad to see that you're excited but some of us aren't too thrilled with having to return to such a place." said Weiss, pouting as Ruby reached over to grasp her hand in a comforting motion.

"Weiss, it'll be okay. I told you that we wouldn't leave your side and I wouldn't break that promise for all the cookies in the world." said Ruby, smiling as her partner turned away from her, though it wasn't enough to keep us from seeing her smile and slightly redden cheeks.

It was then as our aircraft hovered above the Argus military base that the voice of our pilot came over the intercom. "Alright people, we'll be arriving at Atlas in about o-six-hundred hours so make yourselves comfy because it's gonna be a long flight. And don't worry everything's gonna be smooth sailing from here on out." said the pilot, cutting off the intercom as our transport ship slowly began to make it's way away from the military base. The image of Argus was getting further and further away as watched out the window.

But, like everything else in my life thus far, our brief moment of peace was interrupted.

Because suddenly our transport ship was shot down as a yellow bolt of electricity tore through our ship like it was made out of tissue paper. And soon enough we were plummeting out of the sky and diving towards the ocean down below. My instincts went wild as the world seemed to slow to a crawl all around me, allowing me to catch a glimpse of the monster that attacked us as it fired another bolt of lightning at us. But just before the bolt could reach it's intended target, our ship pivoted to the side, allowing the bolt to miss us just enough for only minor damage to the outer hull. Unfortunately, it didn't stop our ship from continuing it's crash landing towards the forest as the sound of sirens and alarms echoed from the city of Argus. Fear filled my body as I witnessed several hundred Grimm began to cover the sky over Argus.

And only a single thought crossed my mind as our transport ship crashed into the forest adjacent from Argus... The thought of my sister, her wife, and their child, my nephew, dying and I wasn't able to stop it... Just like Pyrrha...

But even as our transport ship skidded through the forest, destroying trees upon trees as a row of black glyphs slowed our crash to a dead stop, we never lost our footing thanks to the additional black glyphs positioned beneath our feet. Finally, our crash landing came to a stop and I released my grip from Weiss's shoulder, which in turn allowed the both of us to fall to our knees from exhaustion. My breath was ragged and choppy as I and everyone else started to collect our bearings. The side door to the outside world was ripped wide open, revealing a sea of evergreen trees. Hell, even our own pilot looked shell-shocked from our sudden landing as the door leading into the cockpit slid open, revealing a man dressed in a white and grey pilot's uniform.

"Is everybody okay?" asked the pilot, earning back several pained groans from the rest of us in reply. "Well, painful groans are better than no groans in my opinion."

"What the hell happened out there!? What was that thing!?" shouted Yang, nearly tripping over herself if not for her partner, Blake, catching her at the last second.

"It's a Leviathan." answered Qrow as the distant sound of gunfire and roars echoed in the distance near Argus.

"And just what in the heck is a Leviathan!?" shouted Nora, as she lifted herself off of Ren's body, allowing him to suck in air back into his lungs.

"It's an S-class Grimm that's usually located in the deepest parts of the ocean. Normally, it doesn't come to the surface which is why it's not well known. But to see one this close to shore and at that size? Something tells me that this fight ain't gonna be an easy fight for those Atlas drones." said Qrow as he stepped outside the transport ship with the rest of us following closely behind.

And it was as we all stood outside our crashed transport ship with nothing but the echoes of distant gunfire, roaring Grimm, and frantic civilians to fill our ears that I noticed that everyone, including Maria and the pilot were all looking at me with an anticipating expression.

"Why're you all looking at me like that?" I asked as I turned to look at each and every one of them.

"Well, you are the only one with the memories of an immortal wizard..." said Yang, smirking as she crossed her arms over one another.

"And you were enlisted into the Atlesian military by General Ironwood, himself." said Blake as a ghost smile spread on her lips.

"So?" I asked again, secretly hoping that they weren't saying what I thought they were saying.

"So, that means that you pretty much outrank all of us... Er, not counting Uncle Qrow and Ms. Calavera." said Ruby, her silver eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"In terms of combat prowess, I believe that it's only thanks in part to your merging with Ozpin and your training with Pyrrha that you've been able to survive this long. But in terms of strategic prowess, I believe that out of all of us you excel at managing large squadrons of soldiers." said Weiss, her snow-white ponytail blowing freely in the gentle breeze.

"So, what you're saying is..." I said just as Nora appeared behind me, her arms immediately coiling around my neck and cutting off the airflow to my lungs for a brief second.

"So what's the plan, fearless leader!?" she shouted into my ear when Ren thankfully pulled her off of my back, allowing the sweetness that was air to flow back through my lungs once more and allowing their words to finally root themselves inside my head. And the resulting action came in the form as me pushing them away as I took several steps backward.

The cold steel of the downed transport ship pressed against my back as I ran my hands through my hair. I now knew what they'd meant when they said those words. They wanted me to lead them into what could very well be the last fight of our lives. ME! The guy who threw up his breakfast on the first day of school! The guy who lied and cheated his way into Beacon Academy just chase some fantasy! The guy who was so weak of will that he needed someone else to pick him back up. The guy who was literally the reincarnation of an immortal chess-master. It's one thing to lead someone from point A to point B but it's a whole other story when the thing standing between point A and point B is a gigantic sea monster! I mean, just what the hell was I supposed to do? Shoot the damn thing with an energy bream? Yeah right, I might as well be wearing a colored spandex and start calling myself the Hunts-Man!

Suddenly I felt a soft and gentle hand on my cheek. My eyes drifted upward to see two silver pools staring back at me that I swear were sparkling like diamonds. But it wasn't until I felt the strangest sensation pressing against my lips that the gears inside my head began to turn. And the next thing I noticed was a very, very, VERY red faced Ruby backing away from me, leaving only an empty feeling on my lips. My right hand raised to touch them as my eyes widened in sudden realization.

She kissed me.

Ruby kissed me.

My girlfriend kissed me.

Ruby Rose, my girlfriend, kissed me, her boyfriend, Jaune Arc.

"You can do this, Jaune." said Ruby as the red blush faded from her cheeks. "I know you can."

And while those words were comforting they did not stop my nerves from running rampant as hundreds upon hundreds of scenarios ran through my head on a loop. "But what if I make the wrong decision? What if I go out there and I just end up making things worse for everyone? I mean standing up to Cardin is one thing but this is completely different! Hundreds of people are in Argus, including my own family. I can't put their lives at risk if there's even a slight chance that I could fail." I said when Qrow's voice rose above my own.

"Hate to break it to you, Spellsword, but that's kind of what it means to be alive in this shitty world." said Qrow, placing his hand on my other shoulder. "But just because there's a chance that you might fail doesn't mean that you should give up before you've had a chance to try. Now listen, I've made a lot of bad decisions and I mean a whole hell of a lot. Most of them I'm not proud of. But it was because of those decisions that I've gotten this far. Because even though I've failed I always walked away with more experience than when I walked in. But right now, I'm doing the one thing that I know will be the best decision I've ever made in my entire life... And that's betting everything I have on you."

"Wait a second, you're betting on me? Seriously?" I asked the man standing before me. "But... But what if I fail?" And as soon as those words left my mouth, another set of words reentered my ears.

"Nope!" exclaimed Ruby, smiling at me as she took my hand in her own. "You aren't allowed to fail and do you know why?" she asked as she moved to the side to gesture towards the rest of my friends, my family, that all looked upon me with smiles. "Because we're gonna make sure you don't."

"That's right, Vomit Boy! You're stuck with us till we say so and there ain't nothing you can do about it." said Yang, smirking as the others nodded their heads in agreement.

A short chuckle escaped between my lips as I looked upon my friends' faces. I wanted to tell them that they were making a huge mistakes betting on the slim chance that I could be a good leader. I wanted to scream at them and yell that anyone was better a leader than me. I wanted to... But I already knew that they'd made up their minds. And if there was one thing I've learned about this ragtag group of dropouts in all of the time I've known them it was one thing.

They were stubborn as all hell.

And it was in that moment that I remembered the words my father said to me just before I left for Beacon Academy. ""Sometimes you've gotta bet everything you have on a single gambit."" I said, repeating those very same words to myself as I slowly lifted my head, the echoes of gunfire and roars in the distance filling the sky as I took several steps forward. "You know that there's a high probability that we could all die if we do this, right?" I asked them only to see Yang shrug her shoulders in response.

"Yeah, but it's not like we haven't almost died several times beforehand. Plus if we've gotta die then at least we can go down like a couple of badasses!" shouted Yang as she pumped her right arm, causing a single shotgun cartridge to pop from the chamber in her prosthetic arm.

"So, what's the plan, Spellsword?" asked Qrow, taking a final swig from his flask before placing it back into his jacket pocket.

And without another word, I turned away from my friends and teammates and reentered the crash transport ship before making my way into the cockpit. The sound of static clued me in on the communication system. Seems like that last attack from the Leviathan screwed with the electronics on the transport ship. Which essentially meant that we couldn't radio in for help. Though it wasn't like that would've been a possibility at this point and time. Which pretty much left us with one single option. I could only hope she held out long enough to get us to the battle.

It'd be only a few moments later that we left the crashed transport ship along with its pilot, who was quite insistent that he stay behind to see if he could get its communications back online. I'd need to remind myself to thank Weiss for having a familiar that could fly us towards the battle. I knew that maintaining multiple familiars was not an easy feat which was I made sure to keep her Semblance going with my own. And let me tell you, it certainly made a difference in travel as we bobbed and weaved through the frenzy fighting atop two massive white and blue Queen Lancers.

Meanwhile Qrow, who was in his bird form, flew right alongside us as we flew through the chaos. But it wasn't until we flew high above the air that we all saw a giant mechanized robot fighting against the Leviathan.

I could already hear Ruby and Nora fangirling over the sight of seeing a giant monster versus a giant robot fight one another.

No, literally I could actually hear them screaming from excitement over the sound of gunfire and screeching Grimm as we flew atop the Queen Lancers at the sight of the giant robot upper cutting the Leviathan.

I then turned my head towards the other Queen Lancer summon that flew beside us through the barrage of gunfire. Sitting atop it was Yang, who was having a blast shooting several Griffins out of the sky, Blake, who seemed determined to make herself useful as she used her pistol to take several potshots at some Manticores, Ren, who was using his twin automatic pistols to take out some Nevermores, and, lastly, Nora, who was screaming like a madwoman as she rained pink hellfire from her grenade launcher.

"Do you all remember the plan!?" I shouted over at them.

"Yeah! We'll head into Argus and help the civilians evacuate the city while you and the others help take out the Leviathan!" answered Blake as she delivered a headshot to a flying Nevermore.

"Try to get as many people away from Argus as you can! And if you find my family-" I tried to say only for the Queen Lancer we were riding on to swerve upward just in time to avoid a falling Bullhead that then crashed into the waves below us.

"Don't worry about us, Vomit Boy!" shouted Yang, smiling back at me. "You just make sure you take care of my baby sister and take that Zilla rip-off down!"

"Hey Jaune!" shouted Nora, causing my head to turn towards her. "Do you think that if we survive this we can finally have some of Ren's pancakes!?" she shouted, causing Ren to sigh as he placed his hand on his face.

"Nora, If we survive this then we're gonna be having a damn buffet!" I shouted back, smiling as I watched Nora's eyes widened at my words.

Let it be known that if there was one thing that Nora loves more than anything it was idea of gorging herself on an unlimited amount of food.

"Alright! You know what to do! So, I guess I'll leave you with one final piece of advice!" I said as I pulled my sword from my shield's scabbard. "If you get hurt, hurt 'em back. If you get killed... Walk it off!" I shouted back, smiling at my friends one final time before looking forward at our objective as it tore through the giant robot's Armor like tissue paper. "Now lets do this!"

And soon enough there we were, fighting our way through a swarm of aviary Grimm on top of a Queen Lancer. I was thankful to have Ruby sitting behind me as the sound of crackshots signaled each and every killed made by Ruby's Sniper. I made sure to keep a single hand on Weiss's shoulder so that I could continue to empower her with my Semblance.

Finally, we were able to break free from the carnage of gunfire and Grimm and soon made our way towards the giant robot and the Leviathan. We watched in amazement as the giant robot used its hand to punch the Leviathan in the snout, causing it to close its gaping maw before releasing a roar in response.

"Take that, you monster!" shouted the giant robot as it's cannon fire an ice bolt at the Leviathan's body, freezing it only for the ice to break as soon as it moved. "Feel the might that is Atlas!"

"Wait a second... Is that Cordovin!? She's controlling that thing!? That is so cool!" shouted Ruby, her smile felt contagious as I, too, couldn't stop myself from smiling as we watched the epic fight between Cordovin and the Leviathan.

And so we watched from up above the fight as Cordovin piloted the giant mechanized robot and fought against the Leviathan with ease. When suddenly the Leviathan dove back underneath the blue waves, leaving only Cordovin and her giant robot left standing.

"Come out you cowardly reptile!" shouted Cordovin as the giant robot turned its upper body around in a complete 180. "Come out and face Atlas's wrath!"

Suddenly, the water behind Cordovin exploded in an upward motion, creating a massive tidal wave that slammed against the rocky shore of Argus. And with it came the Leviathan as it latched onto the robot's massive cannon before opening its gaping maw and clamping back down on the giant's head. The only thing keeping the giant robot from being crushed in the Leviathan's jaw was it's hardlight shield.

"Gah! Release me at once, you mongrel!" shouted Cordovin as she attempted to blast the Leviathan with her cannon, only for the Leviathan to push the cannon away with it's tail, causing Cordovin's next shot to fly off into the distance.

Our eyes widened at the sight of the Leviathan's teeth as it tried to take a bite out of Cordovin's giant robot.

"Her shield won't last long underneath that kind of pressure!" shouted Weiss as she steered the Queen Lancer towards the Leviathan.

"Then I guess it's time we made our grand entrance!" I shouted before turning back to look at Ruby. "Ruby, do you remember when we got those new upgrades for Crescent Rose?" I asked, causing my girlfriend's eyes to widen at my words.

"Are you sure? I mean, we haven't really had any time to test them yet! What if something goes wrong!?" she shouted back at me.

"Guess there's only one way to find out!" I shouted back with a smile as I watched Ruby eject the magazine clip from her rifle before replacing it with another magazine clip with a black rose symbol on its side. "Weiss, we need to get behind the Leviathan's back! The less damage done to Cordovin, the better!"

"On it!" Weiss shouted back as she then steered the Queen Lancer towards the backside of the Leviathan.

"Okay Ruby! On my mark!" I shouted, raising my hand into the air as Ruby raised the scope to her eye, her index finger just an inch away from pulling the trigger as we hovered behind the Leviathan's back. "Fire!" I shouted as the loudest crack echoed from behind me as Ruby pulled the trigger, activating the firing mechanism of her weapon and releasing the first of four experimental bullets from the barrel.

So, allow me to ask a question... What happens when you mix a weapons enthusiast with an explosions enthusiast?

The answer... One hell of a fireworks display!

As in the instance, the bullet made contact with the Leviathan's backside and exploded into a bright red mushroom cloud the knocked the Leviathan several feet away, allowing the giant robot the Cordovin was piloting to stumble backwards in shock.

I swear I could literally FEEL Ruby's heart stop when she saw the amount of destruction she could achieve with her latest upgrade.

Not to mention, the shocked expression on Weiss's face was almost too much to handle as she turned back to look at the two of us. Her eyes were wide open as her jaw dropped to the proverbial floor.

"What on Remnant was that!?" Weiss shouted as Ruby jumped up and down on the Queen Lancer's back.

"That's what you get when you mess with Ruby Rose and her sweetheart!" Ruby shouted back with gleeful abandon as she cradled her weapon in her tiny arms. But when I turned back to see Weiss glaring at me like a disappointed parent, the smile on my face couldn't have been wiped fast enough.

"We are going to have some words after this ordeal is over with, Arc." said Weiss before we all turned to see the Leviathan exploded out of the water before its mouth opened to reveal several rows of sharp teeth. And in the pit of its black nothingness came a bright yellow ray of light.

And with a mighty roar a bolt of lightning shot from its mouth and towards its new targets, us.

But before the lightning bolt could strike us and put our lives to an end, a giant metal hand rose to shield us from the attack. We watched as the giant robot began to spark as arcs of electricity raced across its surface before discharging in a single burst of energy. Silence fell upon us as we all watched the giant mechanized guardian fell its knees, creating several waves that then crashed against the shore while the Leviathan lifted its head into the air and roared into the sky. A choir of screeches, roars, and howls echoed in response as the Leviathan began to move towards Cordovin's robot.

"You... children get out of here." said Cordovin as the giant robot lifted its body so that she and the Leviathan could look upon one another. "Protect the citizens and get them to safety."

"What!? But we can't just leave you here!" shouted Ruby only for her answer from the commander to come out as a tired chuckle.

"I made it my duty to protect Argus and its citizens from all threats no matter the cost." said Cordovin as the giant robot's chest plates opened to reveal a massive high tech generator. "And I will uphold that task down to my very last breath! I am a denizen of the greatest kingdom in all of Remnant! And there is nothing that will stop me from fulfilling my duty of protecting the people of Argus!"

And it was as we flew above the carnage that we each began to realize what it was Cordovin was planning to do.

She was going to self-destruct the robot in hopes of taking the Leviathan with her!

"Is that woman insane!?" shouted Weiss, steering the Queen Lancer we were riding back towards Argus. "We need to get back to shore as quickly as possible!"

"But we can't just leave her!" Ruby argued, turning her head to see the now-downed metal giant as the giant Leviathan slowly moved towards it when suddenly her eyes widened as an idea popped into her head. "I can stop it." pulling my attention away from the sight of the Leviathan closing in on Cordovin. "I did it at Beacon and at the farm. So, maybe I can do it here."

"No!" I shouted back at her, causing her to recoil at the force of my voice. "There is no way in hell I am letting you do something that could get you killed!"

"But if I don't do something then Cordovin will die!" Ruby shouted back when suddenly she rose to her feet and looked upon me with those same silver eyes that gave me hope for the future. And it was those same silver eyes that tore through my aching heart like paper as she leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on my lips before pulling away and unsheathing her massive scythe.

No.

She couldn't do this to me.

She was not going to leave me.

Not again.

But as she smiled down at me, my body unwilling to move even a single inch even as she took a step backward, drawing closer and closer to the edge of the Queen Lancer, a vision of Pyrrha, my partner and my first true love, appeared in Ruby's place with that very same smile.

The last smile I'd ever see ever again.

"I'm sorry..." she said softly before leaping off of the Queen Lancer we were riding upon before shooting off in a red blur of scattered rose petals that then proceeded to rocket off towards the downed giant robot.

Without warning, the Queen Lancer Weiss and I were riding came to a dead stop as the both of us turned to watched as Ruby maneuvered through the sky using a combination of her speedy semblance and gravity-based dust rounds to increase her momentum and keep her from falling into the sea. Neither one of us spoke as we watched the single rapidly moving red blur fly through the air, leaving several scattered rose petals to plummet down into the ocean blue below. And though I could hear Weiss's shouts I was unable to take my focus away as the red blur landed atop the down robot before re-sheathing her weapon and there she stood atop a metal colossus as a giant sea monster-type Grimm moved towards her and the mech she stood upon.

I watched in silence as Ruby, my girlfriend, stood atop the down robot. My body felt heavier than iron as I watched the scene play out before me. And even as Weiss willed the Queen Lancer to speed up it's flight, a part of me knew that we would not be able to make it in time. And as the Leviathan opened it's gaping maw, a soft yellow glow began to grow within it's mouth, signalling that it was going to attack Ruby and end her life, I found myself unable to move... Unable to do anything to help... But what help could I ever hope to achieve? I was weak... Powerless...

Flashes appeared before my eyes of the last time I saw my partner, Pyrrha, alive and happy. But because I was too weak to stop her... She was gone... And it was all my fault... Not even the words of Pyrrha's mother were enough to calm my nerves.

I didn't want to be weak anymore...

I didn't want to see someone I loved be taken away from me again...

Suddenly, I felt a strange tingling sensation in the pit of my stomach. And as if by instinct I slowly began to reach out to that sensation. A familiar sense of warmth began to fill my body. This feeling of unworldly power... It was as if it was calling out for me... A sensation of unimaginable power slowly began to call out to me as I reached for it, willing it to return to me as it had so many lifetimes ago. But with it came flashes of memories... Moments in time where I'd used this power before... These moments felt familiar... Almost as if I'd lived them and yet still they felt foreign to me. I was unaware of what was happening around me as I continued to allow that familiar sensation to flow through my body.

It wasn't until a single memory flashed before my eyes that I realized what was happening to myself. There, standing before me in all of his glory was the God of Light. His golden form shined brighter than the very sun, itself. And though he spoke no words I knew what was said. The question was simple...

Was I willing to do anything to be with the woman I loved?

And the answer couldn't have been more clear as I felt a rushing surge of energy fill my body.

Yes.

And in an instant, the world around me began to cease to exist as the power that filled my body surged forward, pulling my body along with it. My eyes opened and there, standing several stories above me, was the Leviathan and behind me was Ruby, who was staring at me with wide eyes and mouth agape.

"J-Jaune? I-Is that you?" she asked, bring a smile to my face as small wisps of green and white floated from my body.

No words came from my mouth as I turned back to face the giant monster that now had it's gaping maw wide open as the soft yellow glow became brighter and brighter than ever before the Leviathan released a mighty roar as a bolt of lightning rocketed towards me. Slowly, I raised my hand and met the bolt of lightning's strike. Arcs of electricity crawled across my body, adding to the energy that surged within myself. And with a smile spread across my face, I pushed the energy that flowed within my body forward and from my hand came a white and green bolt of pure energy that flew towards the Leviathan. And in the blink of an eye, the Leviathan that had threatened the city of Argus was no more as the bolt of energy penetrated it's black body before causing the Leviathan's body to slowly crumble into nothingness.

My hand lowered to my side as I turned to see the look of shock and amazement on Ruby's face as she slowly rose to her feet and looked into my eyes. My smile couldn't have grown any wider even if it tried as the energy that filled my body faded away, leaving me with an empty feeling of longing as the wisps surrounded my body vanish into thin air. And as the choir of cheers echoed in the distance as the last Grimm fell from the sky in a cloud of pink a new sensation began to fill my body.

Unbearable pain and agony.

My hands latched onto my head as I fell to my knees. My body felt like it was on fire as the fibers in my muscles tore themselves while my heart raced a million miles a minute. My body crumbled atop the metal giant as Ruby rushed to my side and cradled my head in her arms. The feeling of her tears on my cheeks was all I could feel as silence took over my hearing and darkness slowly began to take away my vision of the world around me. My last glimpse of the world was Ruby, cradling me in her arms as Weiss landed her Queen Lancer nearby and Cordovin exited through a hatch in the metal giant before rushing over with a worried expression as several bullheads flew towards us in the distance. And all the while the disembodied voice of my own headmaster, echoed in the back of my mind.

 _"You've done well, Mr. Arc."_ said Ozpin as the world around began to fade into blackness. _"Now, please, get some rest..."_ And with those words came darkness as the world around ceased to exist and I allowed myself to be taken away into the black void.

...A Few Days Later...

Twas mid-afternoon when my eyelids opened themselves, allowing the soft glow of Remnant's sun that flowed between the window's blinds to welcome me back into the waking world with open arms. And as I raised my body into a sitting position atop the bed I was laying in, I was then able to take notice of several things in the room I was currently in. Beside my bed was an IV bag filled with liquid that connected to a length of tube that ran towards a needle in my wrist. On the other side of my bed was a bedside table with a vase filled with flowers, several balloons that each had a variation of "get well soon" on it's surface, and a single card resting on it's side. I reached out for the card and brought towards me, unfolding it's cover to reveal several people's names on the white surface.

Suddenly, I felt something move on my legs followed by a tired groan. I lowered the card and smiled at the sleeping form of Ruby as she tried to pull the covers away from my legs and underneath her chin. My hand reached out and caressed the locks of her hair through my fingers as I smiled down at her. It was amazing just how she'd come from. And from the day I first met her I knew that she was destined for greatness. I knew that if it wasn't for her than this journey to Atlas wouldn't have be possible. That was something I'd always admired about Ruby. It didn't matter who it was, she'd always been willing to risk everything to help someone in need. She was what I wished the rest of the world could be. Someone with a gentle, more honest soul who would stop at nothing to make the world into a better place.

It was certainly something admire in one so young.

Course, it didn't stop said young girl from waking from her slumber with a tired groan as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Mmmm, what time is it?" she asked as she stretched out her arms as a yawn escaped her mouth.

"Well, I believe it's 3PM but considering I've been in a coma for what feels like days, I'd suggest taking my words with a grain of salt." I responded, smiling a t the sight of Ruby's eyes widening to astronomical levels before swiftly throwing herself against my body as she wrapped her tiny arms around my neck in a tight embrace. The sounds of her soft sobs echoed in my ears as the feeling of her wet tears splashed against my shoulder and backside.

"You're okay!" she happily exclaimed through choked up sobs as she held me tighter than before. "I was so worried. Jaune, what happened back there? What was that? Did you and Ozpin fuse again?" she asked.

"To be honest with you, Ruby, I have no idea what that was." I answered honestly as I thought back to that moment. "I mean, one second I'm watching you standing on top of the Cordovin's mech and the next I'm laying in your arms and the Leviathan is nowhere to be seen."

"So, you really don't know what happened?" she asked as she pulled away from my embrace.

"No idea." I responded before looking down at my hands. "But... I do remember one thing before I blacked out."

"Really? What?" she asked as I slowly raised my hand as a small green and white orb magically appeared above my hand, causing Ruby's eyes to widen at the sight of it as it floated over my hand before splitting off into a two orbs; one white and one green that rotated around one another above my hand. But as quickly as Ruby's expression of excitement came so to did it vanish just as quickly only for it to be replaced by an expression of worry as the orbs once again merged into one before vanishing into thin air.

"I don't have a lot of time left, Ruby." I said as that empowering sensation slowly left my body once again. "If we don't find a way to break this curse soon... I may not be around anymore."

"No!" she shouted as she leaped forward to wrap her arms around my neck. "We'll break this stupid curse and beat Salem and then... And then everything can go back to the way it used to."

But even as I placed my hand on my girlfriend's back as she held me in a warm embrace, that same sensation of power called out to me once more. Begging me to take it and accept my fate... And the worst part of it was... I wanted it... I wanted to accept this addictive power and let it consume my very being. I'd never felt more power in my entire life than when I felt that surge of energy coursing through my body. It made me realize just how lucky the first people of Remnant were to be able to wield such power as easily as breathing. But I also knew that if I continued to rely on it's power then what little of myself there was would be no more and I'd end up another soul amongst Ozpin's vast collection.

"I hope so, Ruby..." I said as I looked out the window and into the azure sky. "I hope so..."

After Ruby and I had had our little moment of peace, we both agreed that it was for the best to notify the other of the news. Needless to say, it went about as well as it could be expected, with Nora immediately demanding that I make it rain pancakes and maple syrup. The others seemed to take the news in stride though I couldn't help but notice a few odd looks coming from Yang and Blake as they stood off away from the group. Yang seemed more closed off as she practically avoided making eye contact with anything even remotely red while Blake stood off to the side. I'd have to remind myself to ask them what had happened in Argus before we left to Atlas. But it was Qrow who seemed to be the most affected by the news of my being able to use magic though it was clear by the way he avoided eye contact with me that it was not a conversation to be held where the walls were paper thin.

Needless to say, the day was far from over as just a few moments later, after getting another check up, I was admitted from the hospital and soon after we were able to re-enter the Atlas Military base to prepare for our departure. What I wasn't prepared for was the sight of several Atlas soldiers all saluting me as I walked past them. What the heck had happened while I was passed out?

It wasn't until the same two guards that had stopped us just a few days prior that I learned why it was the soldiers were saluting me, a former student of Beacon Academy.

"It is truly an honor to see you alive and well, sir!" said the left guard.

"We were starting to worry that you would never wake up, sir!" said the right guard.

"Ummm... Thanks?" I said in confusion at the stranger than before behavior of these two guards. Seriously, just a few days ago these two wouldn't even let us in the front door and now they're worried about me?

"You're welcome, sir!!" they both shouted at once before each stepped away from the other, allowing a familiar and strangely welcoming smile of Cordovin to step forward and face me.

Neither one of us spoke to the other before Cordovin reached out with her right hand for my own. Seeing no other reason to not return her gesture, I reached out with my own hand and held her own.

"I've spoken with General Ironwood and informed him of what had happened here in Argus. He'll be sending some reinforcements to help with repairs. They should arrive by tomorrow morning." said Cordovin as she and I began to walk towards the edge of the base that overlooked the ocean blue.

"That's good." I replied.

"Be that as it may, it also means that I do not have the luxury of sending you and your team off with a trained pilot." said Cordovin. "I can, however, allow you to take one of our bullheads and use it as transportation to Atlas. The General has already been informed of the change of plans and he shall be sending a liaison to meet you and your team at the docking station."

"Well, thank you... For everything. I know it couldn't have been an easy task." I said before a brief memory of my first interaction with Cordovin flashed before my eyes. "And for what it's worth... I-"

"I'm sorry." said Cordovin, cutting my apology off and stunning me with her own. "When we first met I had assumed that you and your teams were little more than nuisances. But when Argus was being attacked it was you and your team that stepped up to the cause. Many of my own soldiers have taken to calling your team the true saviors of Argus. But when I asked them how they felt having such a title they simply responded that they merely did what was right. I was bullheaded and arrogance clouded my judgement. And I owe you and your team a great deal of service for not only protecting the people of Argus but for also preventing me from being unable to see as the people of Argus, Atlas and Mistral, come together to rebuild their home."

"It's nothing, really." I said as I turned to smile at the elderly woman standing beside me. "Someone once told me that I'd make a wonderful leader someday and I want to uphold that honor till the day I die,"

"Well, then consider this a parting gift for one Specialist to another." said Cordovin as she handed a slip of paper to me. "Should you ever be in need of a recommendation then I can only hope that you'll consider me as one of them."

"Thank you." I said, smiling at the sight of Cordovin, her stern glare and frown gone from her face and replaced by a proud smile.

"No, thank you for all that you've done. I hope to see you again on a better day." said Cordovin, turning around to walk back towards the base's tower. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take the hottest and longest bath in the whole world. These tired old bones can't keep up with today's youth. Until we meet again, Specialist Arc."

And with that last goodbye, the commander which had once shut the door in our faces had apologized and offered us a bullhead to use as transportation. Man, talk about a 180, am I right?

Now I was REALLY glad we didn't end up stealing a bullhead. Seriously, who would ever think that THAT would be a good idea?

Regardless, the time to leave Argus and set sail for the kingdom of Atlas had come. And with a final goodbye to my sister and her family and the people of Argus, our bullhead lifted itself into the air high above the ground. Our pilot was none other than Maria, who had apparently trained as a pilot during her time as the Grimm Reaper, which didn't exactly fill me with confidence but I wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

And as we sailed over the seas high above the clouds, we all sat on our chosen sides, which Ren, Nora, Ruby, and myself taking the left side while Blake, Yang, and Weiss took the right side.

"We should have just enough fuel to make it to Atlas before sunrise." said Maria, her voice echoing through the bullhead's intercom.

And Ruby, who was laying her head on my shoulder, lifted her head to look at Maria and Qrow, who sat in the cockpit, with a smile. "Thanks Ms. Calavera. I'm sorry I couldn't stop the Leviathan..."

"Bah, think nothing of it, girlie." said Maria. "You're still learning to control your silver eyes so there will be moments where doubt will cloud your mind. Luckily, you have a crazy old woman to beat the knowledge into that think cranium of your's." said Maria, laughing as Ruby giggles softly before laying her head back on my shoulder.

"For what it's worth, I thought you did great out there , kid." said Qrow, bring a smile to Ruby's face that in turn brought a smile to my own. "Just don't go making a habit out of having staring contests with Grimm, okay? Christ, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Heh, I love you too, Uncle Qrow." she said as she closed her eyes and proceeded to fall asleep on my shoulder.

"Hey, Spellsword, you mind coming up here for a second?" asked Qrow, causing me to look upon him.

After double checking that Ruby, along with everyone else was thoroughly asleep, I slowly moved my body out from under Ruby's sleeping form before proceeding to make my way towards the cockpit where Qrow and Maria were sitting.

"What is it, Qrow?" I asked before noticing Qrow's hardened glare as he narrowed his red eyes at me. Seeing that look in his eyes immediately brought a sigh to the surface as I turned to look at Maria, who continued to fly the bullhead towards Atlas. "What gave it away?"

"A lot of things but let's just leave it at the fact that I've known you for a very long time, Oz." said Qrow, bringing a smile to my face at hearing my name after so long. "So, is the kid gone? Did you eat another one?" he asked, causing me to frown as I looked forward into the blue darkness.

"No, I have not "eaten" Mr. Arc, as you kindly put it." I responded. "Mr. Arc attempted to use my magic by force. However, as his body was not yet capable of wielding such a power, he was unable to fully control it and as a result, his soul became fractured."

"Fractured? The hell does that mean?" asked Qrow.

"It means that Mr. Arc is currently at war within himself." I replied as I turned to look upon the sleeping forms of my fellow students. "Believe me Qrow, I would like nothing more than to return Mr. Arc's body but..."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, Oz." he replied as he pulled a silver flask from his jacket and brought it to his mouth. "What are we gonna tell the kids?" he asked.

"For now, nothing." I responded as Qrow groaned in response. "I know it is not the best option but it is in their best interest to believe that Mr. Arc is alive and well. I have been bonded to the boy long enough to play the part."

"I still think this is a shitty idea." said Qrow, putting his flask away.

"Duly noted." I said as Maria raised the bullhead higher into the night sky.

"Any idea how long it'll be till the kid gets his body back?" asked Qrow.

"Unfortunately that is a question I am unable to answer." I replied, causing my former student to sigh. "I do not know for how long Mr. Arc will be out of commission nor do I know what will happen should he never wake up. But I do know one thing, our goal remains the same. We deliver the Relic to Atlas and from there we will discuss our next plan with James."

"Well, I, for one, think you're both a couple of wack-jobs." spoke Maria, bringing a chuckle out of my person.

"So says the woman who had at one point in her life thought it best to tame a Nevermore so that she could bring it to show and tell." I responded with a teasing smirk as the memory of a younger Maria and a very angry Nevermore popped into my head. My words, of course, had an immediate effect on Maria as she turned away to grumble. "It is good to see you again, Maria. You've grown into a fine young woman."

"Coming from a man who's over several centuries years old that's not exactly a compliment." said Qrow, smiling at his own joke before turning away from me to avoid my stare.

That was right, Qrow was still at odds with me. But I could not place blame on anyone but myself. For it was my own actions that brought about Qrow's change of heart. And it would a very long time till I have earned the trust that I so wastefully squandered back.

Suddenly, the sound of rustling movement brought my attention back to my former students as they all had awoken from their slumber. Each of them rubbed the sleep away from their eyes as I looked around the bullhead. I hated that I would have to lie to them once more... But so long as they were still alive to hate me then I was fine with remaining the villain in their eyes.

"Good, you guys are up." I said, partial hating myself as I pretended to act as Mr. Arc. "Maria says we'll be at Atlas really soon."

"Spellsword's right, kiddos!" Qrow shouted from the cockpit. "And trust me, if you haven't seen Atlas in person then you're not gonna wanna miss this."

"Is it weird that I'm sorta nervous?" asked Ruby as she and the others made their way towards the cockpit.

"Nah, I'll believe we've made it to Atlas when I've seen it." replied Yang.

"Well... believe it." spoke Weiss as the sight of a massive city flying high about the continent of Solitas.

This was the technological wonder of the world, the Kingdom of Atlas. A literal utopia that flew high above the world. Shouldered between the very sky and earth itself as if to proclaim that Atlas would shoulder the weight of the world's problems upon it's shoulders.

"Wow!" exclaimed Nora, her enthusiasm bringing a smile to my face or I suppose it would considered Mr. Arc's face but I digress.

"You know, you make the trip up to Atlas over and over, but you NEVER get used to that view." And soon had those words left Maria's mouth her prosthetic eyes began to act up once again, causing the elderly woman to groan in response. "Oh, come on!"

But while everyone else was focusing their attention on the flying kingdom, Qrow and myself found ourselves staring at the many airships that soared around the perimeter of the flying kingdom, almost as if they were expecting to be attacked.

If there was one thing that I've learned in all my many lifetimes as a nigh-immortal being it was this, fear not the one who holds the sword, instead fear the one who hides the dagger.

Something told me that Atlas would not be the saving grace as I had hoped it would become.

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 **And so ends the 2nd arc of "The Knight The Wizard". Though I guess it would should be called "The Wizard".**

 **Has Ozpin taken control of Jaune's body? Is the young Arc gone forever? Has he been added to Ozpin's collection?**

 **Well heck if I know.**

 **Anyway, this was a doozy of a chapter to write and it easily trumps the last arc ending chapter of mine. I had actually finished this chapter during my late night shift at my current job. Oh and FYI if a desk clerk checks you in and you decide to give your second room away to someone else because it's the nice thing to do... DON'T. Because you could get said deak clerk fired because of it.**

 **Regardless, I had actually always planned on having Ozpin as the next POV for a very long time but I had only just decided to go through the idea after hearing Jaune accuse Oscar actually being Ozpin. And I later decided to go through with it after hearing EruptionFang's review of the "Our Way" episode when Oscar explained that it was Ozpin who "guided" to crashing landing the bullhead.**

 **And so there you have it. The "end" of "The Knight The Wizard". I hope you all enjoyed the ride and I hope you all continue to read and offer up your thoughts. I'm thinking of starting the story a little after the end of Volume 7 so I can properly plan the chapters out instead of doing them one episode at a time. Let me know what you all think of this idea.**

 **But until then thank you all for reading "The Knight The Wizard".**

 **Till next time!**


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